Faelost Read online

  “I understand that the focus of attention this week is on Zinnia, so I decided to gift each member of my family something according to their interests. Yana received the spell and enchantment textbook series studied by the mage scholars of Anthora. Shannon received a brass telescope made by the taiga elves of the Frost Realm. It was created by the same maker as the famed Harmonshore telescope. Your mother has been given a Stardrake sword, though I hope she never has cause to use it.”

  I rose and gave Daelon an awkward, one-armed hug. My throat was so tight that it was a struggle to force words through it. “Thank you. I don't know what else to say but thank you.”

  “You need not say more than that. This is my gift to you, and I look forward to seeing what you create with it. Tessen, you are not my kin by blood, but you are the brother of my grandson, and more importantly, you have given me your time and your friendship. Friends are rare in my life, and that has made your gift to me especially precious.”

  I felt guilty about all the times Daelon's rambling had irritated me. He was only trying to forge a meaningful connection with me by discussing our mutual interests. I thought he seemed lonely, so I'd kept my irritations to myself for his benefit. I'm glad I had. Not because of the Deepforge set, but because he deserved to have someone to talk to about things unrelated to governing the Jade Realm, and I was one of the few people willing to listen without becoming too visibly annoyed by his peculiarities. Shan didn't possess the patience for him, and his relationship with Daelis was tainted by years of ill feelings. The more I got to know Daelon, the more I believed that his reputation for being cold and heartless was undeserved.

  “Thank you, Daelon. I'll definitely be putting them to good use,” I said as I stepped away from him.

  “I know you will.” Daelon's eyes dropped to the baby in his arms. “She is significantly larger than Daelis was, but he was a premature twin. He was delicate and I was afraid I would break him. Half-elven babies are more robust than pure-blooded elves. I now believe that may be a good thing.”

  “I thought you didn't approve of half-elves, Father,” Daelis said. He leaned over Daelon's shoulder so he could touch Zinnia's cheek.

  “I believe I have changed my mind on the matter. There are two in particular I very much love and care for.”

  “Good. Thank you for that.” Daelis stood upright and nodded toward the kitchen. “Dinner is ready. Yana caught the dragons some grasshoppers earlier, so they can feast while we discuss what to do with them.”

  Mom stretched her arms over her head, then blinked several times and stared at Daelon. “Sorry, I must have fallen asleep.”

  “It is quite all right, Katrin,” Daelon said. He stroked Zinnia's fine, dark hair and smiled. “I have enjoyed spending this time with my granddaughter, but I believe it would be best for you to take her now. I fear I will drop her when I stand, and I have been informed that it is time to move to the dinner table.”

  “I'll take her,” I offered.

  Mom stood and rubbed the back of her neck. The shifting light amplified the dark circles under her eyes. “No, I'll take her. You go put away your toolbox so no one trips over it. Shan can move the dragons.”

  I had some difficulty dragging the box into my bedroom and needed to call Shan over to help me. We were both reasonably strong, so it made me wonder how slight Daelon got it into the house. His guards must have brought it in for him.

  We crowded around the table and inhaled the aromas of roasted quail, warm honey-rye bread, rosemary parsnips, herb sallat, and a peach and brie tart. It was all more complicated than our usual evening meal, so I assumed most of it had been brought over by Mom's family. Daelis and Shan were both decent cooks, but there was no way they could have made such a feast so quickly.

  Shan placed the dragons on a small folding table that had been set up next to the main one. We offered them grasshoppers and little bits of our own dinner while Daelon and Elsin looked on in undisguised fascination. The tiny creatures eagerly swallowed everything they were given, with the exception of the bread, which they hissed at before flicking onto the floor.

  After seconds of all courses were eaten by both people and dragons, Daelon cleared his throat and said, “I believe I have a solution to your dragon problem. Clearly, they cannot remain in Jadeshire for the long term and I cannot allow them to remain in the Jade Realm beyond infancy or we will be forced to face the consequences of the High King's laws. Their are eight dragon-free realms in Bacra, and mine must remain one of them. I have communicated at length with a person who works for me, a person I trust without reservation. He owns an establishment called The Broken Star in North Juniper. He is willing to help your dragons find sanctuary.”

  “North Juniper? That's what, an eight hour ride?” Daelis asked as he raked his fork through the errant crumbs dropped by his tart crust.

  “Twelve on a good day,” Mom said. She'd know better than Daelis. He rarely traveled, but she'd explored most of southwestern Bacra during her years as a hired sword.

  “A mere moment, for those who possess the proper skills.” Daelon winced as Daelis's fork scratched at the plate. He straightened his shoulders, then nodded toward Shan. “Shannon, have you made sufficient progress with your teleportation ability?”

  Shan swallowed a lump of bread and chased it with an entire cup of water. “Sort of. Not really. I still can't take anything with me, so I kind of accidentally leave my clothes behind. It's . . . it's embarrassing, to say the least, especially since I don't always end up exactly where I intend.”

  “He tried to teleport to a storage room yesterday morning and ended up in the middle of the University library wearing nothing but his pendant.” I held my napkin over my mouth so Shan couldn't see my grin.

  “Hey! You weren't supposed to tell anyone that!” Shan kicked my leg.

  Daelon held a finger to his lips and stared at Shan. “Oh. Well, that is unfortunate, but you will improve with practice. I suppose you and Tessen will need to allot some time for travel to North Juniper.”

  “You ought to leave as soon as possible. You both need to be taught how to manage the bind, and they're already larger than they were yesterday.” Daelis drummed his fingers on the edge of the table, inciting a second wince and a side-eyed glare from Daelon. Daelis winked at Mom and smirked.

  “They are?” I watched the dragons attack their scraps of quail meat. They didn't look bigger to me. Maybe a little more filled out, but wasn't that normal for newborns of many species?

  “Yes. I'm certain of it.”

  “Oh. I suppose I'll have to ask Velker for some time off.”

  “I'm on summer hiatus as of yesterday,” Shan said. He shrugged and rubbed his nose with the back of his hand. “I can go whenever.”

  “And you certainly finished off the term with style, didn't you?” I asked, holding up the napkin again to hide the inevitable grin. Shan kicked me again. “Ouch! Stop it!”

  “That wasn't style. That was horrid.” Shan dug his fingernails into the edge of the table and scowled. “There was an exam in progress in the library commons. I'm sure by now the entire body of scholars knows what Ranalae did to me, how she mutilated my body. I didn't want anyone to see that. I didn't want them to know. I appeared a good fifty yards from my target, and the only fortunate thing was that I didn't end up merged with a bookshelf. The only reason I tried to teleport at all was because Master Radalar convinced me I could do it. I can't, and I won't again. I'm not ready for that. And now, all I see when I close my eyes are the stares of pity those scholars in the library gave me as they realized just how far Ranalae had gone in her quest to break me. The whole of Jadeshire knows she tortured me, but now they also know I am cursed to this scarred and spellbound life. It's not funny, Tessen. Nothing about yesterday morning will ever be funny.”

  I set my fork on my plate and rubbed my brow. Heat rose in the back of my neck and wrapped around my jaw like a creeping vine. “I . . . I'm sorry. I guess I forgot–”

  “Just
because I don't show anyone my scars doesn't mean they aren't there. It doesn't mean they're healed or ever will be.”

  We sat in uncomfortable silence for quite some time while Shan leaned against Mom. The arm not holding Zinnia was tight around him, and she occasionally kissed his temple. The carefree Shan I grew up with had died as a captive of Ranalae Nightshadow-Goldtree. We all knew it but we couldn't bring ourselves to speak of it. It was still too easy to forget that we needed to step carefully along the cracked ice that surrounded the new Shan. It was still too difficult to mourn the person we didn't want to admit we'd lost, even when everything about him had changed. His appearance was different, his demeanor was different, and even his name was different. Shan Sylleth had become Lord Shannon Daeriel Sylleth Goldtree, future Duke of the Jade Realm, immediately following his liberation from the Jarrah. He and I no longer shared a surname. We no longer shared much of anything aside from archived memories of the sixteen years preceding his nightmare. Maybe that was why he was so determined for Serida to imprint on me. He wanted to use a joint experience to regain a sliver of what we'd lost.

  “I'm sorry,” I whispered. Six pairs of startled eyes snapped to meet my face.

  Shan retreated from Mom's embrace and shook his head. “Tessen, you don't understand and never will. And you know what? I'm grateful for that. I'm glad that one member of our family survived this year unbroken. You'd be wise to allow that to be your gift.” He stood and brushed bread crumbs off his thighs. “I'm sorry. I can't be out here anymore. I can't be stared at anymore. I'll be in my room. Someone . . . someone come find me once Tessen gets himself together and figures out when we can leave for North Juniper.”

  Shan picked up Lumin and spun away. Mom's teary eyes followed his path as he disappeared down the hall. Everyone else stared at their empty plates.

  “I'm sorry. I seem to have ruined dinner,” I said. My voice was louder than I intended and Yana startled at my elbow.

  Yana's head slowly tilted until it rested on my shoulder. Her chin bobbed as she breathed slowly, calmly. She raised her wrist and slowly pushed back her sleeve, revealing a collection of thin scars on her arm. Her arms and legs were covered in them from the Jarrah repeatedly cutting her so they could infuse their dragon armor with the magic they believed she carried in her blood. “Shan can't see your scars like the world can see his or mine. The Jarrah hurt you too, but not in the same way. Hard to explain. Hard for him to know when he hurts so much that his pain blinds him.”

  “My sweet girl, your wisdom is a gift,” Mom said. Her lips pulled into a tight smile as she studied Zinnia's face. The baby frantically tried to shove her entire fist into her own mouth. “I'm going to excuse myself to my armchair so I can nurse her. Better elbow support.”

  Yes, Zinnia was hungry, but I knew Mom was only leaving the dining table so she could cry without anyone seeing.

  Another period of silence clenched our throats in an uneasy grasp. I retrieved Serida from her little table and cuddled her against my chest. Her warmth radiated through my hands and eased a small measure of the tightness that squeezed my heart. Elsin began to clear the dishes while Daelon's lips moved to some soundless self-dialogue.

  Daelis offered Yana a reassuring smile that quickly faded to a concerned frown. The twitch in his shoulder broke into a shudder. “Father, I can't send the boys to North Juniper without knowing more about your contact's plan. You didn't allow me to hear the details. These dragons are–”

  A series of knocks sounded at the back door. Three staccato raps followed by three slow thuds and two more quick raps. Daelon stood and nodded toward the door. “It seems my guards would like a word with me. I assume their interruption is necessary, considering the rudeness of the action.”

  “See what they want, then,” Daelis mumbled. He rose from his chair and skirted the table so he could kiss the top of Yana's head. He leaned between her head and mine and whispered, “There are no shadows without light. Find the source of the light and the shadows will become less frightening. We will find a path through the darkness, but it will take a little time and a lot of patience.”

  Daelon opened the door. Four ducal guards stood at the threshold, the evening sun bright at their backs. Daelon sighed and said, “Yes? What is the reason for this disruption?”

  “Your Grace, there has been an incident,” said the guard nearest to Daelon.

  “Captain, what has occurred?”

  Metal caught sunlight and the points of two rapiers burst through Daelon's back.

  The guards withdrew their swords and the Captain shoved Daelon to the ground. He stepped over the bleeding, gasping Duke and said, “I regret to inform you that the Goldtrees have been assassinated.”

  I searched my reach for a weapon and found only cutlery. That would have to do. I shoved Yana under the table and handed her a butter knife before dropping Serida onto her lap. The guards were inside by the time I grabbed my own knife and fork.

  Elsin hoisted a carving knife and placed himself between the guards and Daelis.

  “This is none of your concern, Captain Sylleth,” the ducal Captain growled.

  “Any threat to my sister's family is my concern,” Elsin said. The ducal Captain nudged his elbow with the flat edge of his blade. Elsin knocked it aside. “Stand down, Captain.”

  “It is far too late for that.” The Captain nodded toward the other three. “Kill Lord Daelis first. Find Shannon Goldtree and the infant. Eliminate them. The others may be taken alive if they cooperate, but I do not expect such a courtesy from them. The dragon eggs must be captured unharmed.”

  One of the guards collapsed to the ground with a thud, a knife planted to the hilt in his skull. Daelis lowered his arm and took a step backward. I'd nearly forgotten about his formidable throwing skills. I hoped he had more knives on him, because the one I had was better for spreading jam than slicing flesh.

  “Tessen, go protect your mother and sister,” Daelis said, his eyes wide.

  “No.” I couldn't leave the kitchen, not when I could do something. An entire table separated me from the rest of the situation. I didn't think the table would hold my weight if I jumped up on it to get to the guards, so how fast could I get around it? Not fast enough to catch them by surprise.

  “Tessen, please.”

  New idea. I dropped to my knees and slid under the table, past trembling Yana. She passed me her knife. “Kill them, Tessen. Hurry.”

  Above us, Elsin and the Captain battled with carving knife and sword. Elsin was a skilled fighter, but it was not an even match and the Captain had already drawn blood at my uncle's upper arm and thigh. Booted feet stepped close to the table, close to me.

  “The Sylleth kid is a coward,” one of the guards said with a laugh.

  “Can't expect much better from the bastard of a whore and a thief,” another replied.

  “Get up and kill them,” Yana whispered.

  “That's my plan,” I said.

  Forks and knives in hand, I lunged forward and stood, knocking the heavy table into the Captain. He staggered into the wall and Elsin shoved the carving knife into his neck. The remaining two guards were mine, and they were close enough to attack. I jammed a fork deep into the eye of the one on my right and then swiveled and planted the butter knives between the ribs of the one on the left. They barely had time to yelp before falling dead to the ground.

  “I don't abandon my family,” I said. I bent to pluck a stained napkin from the remnants of dinner that were splattered upon the floor. I wiped the blood from my hands and nodded at Elsin. “You okay?”

  “Nothing a few sutures won't fix,” he replied. He winced and pulled the carving knife from the Captain's neck. “Rin taught you well. Very well.”

  Yana sprang to her feet and embraced me. Her hands trembled against my back. “You killed the bad elves!”

  My adrenaline peaked. Quaking knees forced me to brace myself against the counter. I killed someone. Two people. I'd never killed anyone before, and now there were
two dead elves on the floor, their bodies pierced by cutlery I had forged myself. I had to do it. I had to protect my family.

  “Father...” Daelis navigated the disorder of the kitchen floor and knelt next to Daelon. The elder Goldtree's eyes were closed and his bloodied chest barely rose with each gasping, gurgling attempt at breath. “Dad, please. Stay here, stay with me. You can't go when we're only just beginning to understand each other.”

  Daelon slowly raised his hand and stroked Daelis's tear-stained cheek. “Daelis,” he gasped. His eyelids fluttered open and his pale eyes sought contact with his son's face. “Daelis, you will be all right.”

  Daelon's hand dropped and his chest fell still.

  “Daelis...” Mom was behind us, Zinnia held firmly to her chest and her new Stardrake sword clutched in her right hand. The blade flashed blue in the light of the setting sun. “Daelis, we need to go. Quickly. We need go somewhere safe.”

  “Nowhere is safe. Someone wants me and everyone who shares my blood dead,” Daelis said. He leaned forward and kissed his father's brow.

  Mom came all the way into the room and stood next to Elsin. She tilted her head toward me. “Tessen, I need you and Shan to get your things together immediately and take the dragons to North Juniper. Elsin, I need to suture that bleeding mess on your arm. Then I need you to escort us to–”

  “To where, Rin?” Daelis looked down at his blood-covered hands. “These . . . these guards . . . do you not know that his personal guards were the most trusted of all of his employees? These four . . . I know them, have known them for decades. They have each been with him for over twenty years. The Captain has . . . had been his guard since before he ascended to Duke, since before I was born. He trusted them, and they betrayed him. They killed him. Why? My mother is gone and the Jarrah are leaderless and dispersed, so who could have done this? Who could have corrupted elves who had sworn their lives to uphold my father's safety? Someone broke them, which means nowhere is safe.”