Kingdoms of Lies and Intrigues (Return of Vesna book 2)

Chapter 2 Evaline

Evaline stared at Havah in complete and utter shock. She stood abruptly from the ground, ignoring the pounding in her head she continued to stare at Havah.
"I saw you summon the snake, I saw you put it sleep. I saw......" she stopped ranting and stared at her friend in incredulity . "What are you?"
"I come from Irinthar , the soil on which we stand. I am Fae just like you, but there the similarities are skewed. I am a solitary, an unseelie Fae."
"Plagues!" Evaline muttered under her breath. " That's how you killed them,"she was referring to the arena. "You knew their weakness"
"No mortal could have done what I did or what you can do," Havah affirmed.
"I still can't believe it!"Evaline was completely dumb struck. "How come I can't remember........"
"You can't remember because you don't have your memories with you yet."
"Explain."
"You are from the light court, back then we knew each other but more as acquaintances . You served a Fae male who was my lover his name was Loot. It didn't matter that he was from the court of spring and one of the strongest light Lords, our connection was immediate. He knew what I was and it did not matter and we often visited each other. His people became my friends and I would have done anything for him." Havah's voice rang with a deep emotion she noticed, before her good eye turned a shade darker. "I was privy to information on some part of the plan of the dark Fae for the mellenial games. I knew the light courts would be in danger and I told him of what I knew. He summoned those immediately under him who were not conscripted to the games and gave you a choice to flee. That's were I saw you and you chose to flee with your brother. The next time I encountered you again was on Jutu's bed in her house, your injuries were many, the one to the head almost fatal. She knew that if the Fae could sense our magic, both light and dark, they would come for us. She asked me to help her bind your powers and some of your memories so there would be no trace of you to find. In me she bound my powers but not my memories. My powers only just surfaced recently and that's when I knew the dark Fae were coming for the humans."
"You knew!" Evaline's anger was rising she could feel tremor vibrate in her hands but ignored it. " You knew and yet you didn't tell us!" This was worst than betrayal and she thought Havah her friend.
"It was too late Eva, by the time my powers had risen they were already in Pretoria." There was remorse in Havah's voice but it was too late. So much damage had been done.
Evaline released a heated sigh as she clenched her fist, how could all this be happening. She remembered nothing about being Fae, neither the Fae male Loot who was Havah's lover. Then there was Darren.....
"And Daren?"
"He's Fae too." Havah concurred
"But he was lucid when we came to settle in Pretoria, he could have remembered something. Did you take his powers too?"she had to ask .
"No, his powers had not manifested and he seemed not to be able to speak about the journey. We feel his memories are linked to yours and when they were taken away his must have followed."
Tears gathered in Evaline's eyes as she tried to make sense of this revelation. What Havah said was right, she did heal faster than most and she ran with speed. Then there was Darren who spoke about speaking to the animals. Had his powers risen then? Her protective instinct toward him, that had always been inside her even if she could only remember he was her brother. He never spoke to her about their past despite the many times she had asked. He had told her he did not remember.
"You must have seen everything that happened during the mellenial games." She asked stoically as unbidden tears ran down her cheeks. Havah's nod was enough.
"Did I have parents?"
Her next question seemed to have taken Havah aback. "I don't know of them. All I saw was Loot telling you and your comrades to flee and hide. If you did have parents I did not witness any beside you."
"And this Loot, where is he now?"
"Dead" Havah's response was unflinching as she stared right back at Eva.
"Did you witness the mellenial games?" Eva managed to ask.
"Carnage." Havah shook her head and turned away. "I played for the side of the dark Fae, in that I had no choice. " She turned her gaze back to Evaline, it was difficult to witness her expression but from the tense set of her shoulders she was reigning in her emotions. "The light Fae lost, I was left for dead and managed to escape. The rest is what happened in the passed three years. "
"But if you belong to the dark Fae and you won the games why did you flee? Why did you Let them think you where dead?"Evaline's question was pointed.
"Because I don't feel as nefarious as the rest of the dark Fae toward the light. I told you, I am a friend of the seelie, "Havah replied sincerely.
"How sure am I that you are?" Evaline was skeptical. "You've lied to me thus far what should make me believe that you are sympathetic to me or the humans."
"Because," have released an impatient sigh, " if I wanted to kill you Evaline I wouldn't have to wait three forsaken human years! You must believe me!" Havah implored and in that Evaline saw the anguish that came unbidden to the surface. Eva witnessed the possibility of pain and grief that hovered over Havah for the past three years that she had hidden quite well from their eyes.
"How do I restore my memories."Evaline finally asked softly.
"You don't." It was Jutu who answered, she walked toward them slowly. "Not yet, anyway."
"Why not?" Frustration simmered in her question.
"Because right now there is still danger. We are on solitary ground, if they had an inclination as to where you hale from they wouldn't think twice about surrendering you to one of king soldar's sons to do with as they please. Havah bound your powers so you will not be in any danger but we need them awakened in this perilous journey." Jutu explained. "Here, those of us with magic can protect the mortals with us while we search for the royals."
That silenced any more complaints, she had to think of Darren and his safety before demanding anything further. She had to accept her fate for now.
"There is danger in this journey Evaline, we need you to remain obscure but strike when the time is ready." Havah stared at the young lady before here hoping the words had sunk in.
Nodding her head Evaline slumped her shoulders in defeat.  Her head started to throb. It was daunting task, she still had many questions but at present she had to surrender her trepidation under the guise of acceptance.
They returned back to the make shift camp where a small fire had been lit.  As soon as the three women emerged the rest of the team looked at them.  She could feel the stares from coming from them like sharp pins poking her or was it something else that seemed to prick her fingers. Clenching her fists she marched toward the tree where they kept her duffle.
The sky was as grey as it was when they left, the canopy of trees formed a blanket obliterating light. She fished out a skin of water and drank from it thristily.
"Save some of that."
She swirled around to see Caspian standing right behind her, he looked as though he was seeing her for the first time.
"With no horses we will be journeying on foot for a spell and there are no rivers to fill it up," he continued raking her with his eyes.
She hated the way he regarded her, despite the three years they had spent together it seemed they were total strangers once more. This was Caspian, the man who helped save her, the one who looked out for her, teased her. Gone was his ready smile, instead there was a coldness to his eyes that was palpable.
She didn't know who she was, despite having the magic, she was unsure of what she could do with it, but it was a part of what she was and she was going to solve the mystery of her identity once and for all.
Moving to join Estelle and Erica who sat by the fire warming their hands.  They were quiet when she approached them but they didn't stare at her with any depth of hostility, neither did they smile in greeting. She searched out the rest of the camp spying the men together, they were locked in conversation. Her eyes finally rested on Lord Fenwick who seemed to sense her regard.  Her turned his gaze to hers briefly and they locked for a moment. If he could freeze her on the spot with those artic eyes he probably would have. There was an edge of venom in that gaze before he shifted his attention back to the men.
The women of his camp had mentioned he hated the Fae for what they took from his land, and it was clearly written in that look.
Havah and Jutu flanked her were she sat, the latter hading her a piece of dried meat which she took graciously while Havah drew some symbols on the ground with a stick. At least she knew they would not judge her too harshly for being seelie, a thing she was just learning to accept with reluctance.
"We are here," she pointed to one of the symbols which looked like a tree.
"How do you know?" Evaline asked curiously.
"I come from here, I know this land" Havah mocked, her mouth twitched slightly in a half smile which was better than cold stares. "They call this the forest of the forgotten."
"That's a strange name," Erica mumbled.
"Yeah why would it be called such?" Estelle asked politely. Underneath her easy demeanor there was hesitation.
Erica nudged her sister. " I suppose it would be easy to forget this place,"  she pointed to the the dense trees behind her and cackled.
"Your not far from the truth.  Irinthar is full of them one tends to look like another. Most of them are habitable but this one in particular cannot be lived in for the trees may be green but they are not habitable by any living thing which is why we have to leave this place as soon as we can."
"How did you find this place?" It was Cem who asked as he stood behind Evaline.
"Good question, I chanced upon it with my pets one day and I realized it would be the perfect spot to create a portal." Havah pointed forward to where they had emerged. "That solid rock wall is simply just that, a dead end. Once I found it I planted the runes that would open a doorway to any place I desired.  Only my blood can open that and seal it which is how the cave wall led us here."
"How do we get out of here?" It was Xion who asked looking at the symbols she drew on the dirt.
"As you can see we are here," she pointed once more to the symbol of a tree then she drew a thin line to a circle with a makeshift shack. "We have to travel here and meet up with an old friend."
"Are you sure this friend can be trusted?" The lord asked skeptically.
Havah turned to regard the lord cooly. "Yes he can.  I helped him build the wards around his dwelling place, he owes me a favor."
"Why?" Evaline asked curiously as she stared at the symbols on the ground
"It's a long story but through his land we can shortcut to the river that will take us to the ever changing mountains." She pointed to a series of squiggly lines.
"The what?" Erica asked baffled
Evaline was of the same mind as she stared at the symbol, something about it made her shiver inwardly.
"The mountains shift, it never stays the same.  Many solitary have gotten lost in those mountains because it may look familiar but the paths change constantly.  We have to go there at the exact time of the shift as it holds the quickest way to the citadel.  If we miss the path then we will have to return back to the river and walk around it, cross the never ending falls," she pointed to another set of squiggly lines. "Travel through the valley of the forgotten Gods until we find the spires of the citadel and that can take more than 3 human weeks."
"Time is not on our side in this journey." Jutu reminded.
"Then we cannot tarry any longer." Captain Jacob's voice rang clear.
While group gathered their belongings Havah and Jutu took Evaline to the side. Their face determined as they regarded her.
"While we journey Eva I will teach about the runes. I will draw a single rune into your flesh and explain each one. You must pay attention." Havah told her.
"And I will teach you magic. Now that you have some of your powers it will quickly manifest and you should bend it to your will." Jutu explained grabbing her hands.
Evaline was filled with a heavy sense of overwhelming responsibility, she was unsure of herself but she wouldn't let that stop her from learning what she must.
"We need to reach the citadel in record time, do not fear your powers for I sense them growing within you. It is a part of you Eva and it should work." Drawing a dagger from her waist, Havah carved a symbol on both her wrist, a circle with two lines crossing. She winced slightly as the dagger drew blood but Havah quickly stenches the flow and the bluish symbol became her mark.
"It's a mark of protection. You have to say Kaitse and you will draw protection from any harm that may come to you or any of us.  It's a shield of sorts and can be summoned when danger approaches.  We will need this symbol to activate.  While I'm near you we can work it together to help the others."
Then Havah drew another symbol on her upper right arm which stung, once again she covered it with her hand and it formed into a bluish ink that seemed to bury itself in her flesh. "That is Lieu, light, you'll know when you need it.  Once said with strength it can burn your enemies, but if you need it to light your way it will summon the fairy light for guidance."
Evaline grasped her right arm and felt the symbol burn slightly. "They sting!"
"That's only temporary, but your body knows what they are." Havah explained.
"Once your body become accustomed to the symbols your magic will flow into them and it will speak to you of its own.  Remember what Havah said, bend it to your will," Jutu clasped her cheek gently before releasing her warm hand.
Evaline felt like she was on fire inside, something was happening but it was a gentle flame, her body was starting to adjust to the heat within her as she slowly released a sigh.
There were many questions that swirled in her mind but she trusted Jutu and Havah enough to guide her.  If indeed she was a seelie then this shouldn't be a problem . Right?