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

Chapter 6 Harnessing Energy

After a short meal, Knut gathered the mortals including Evaline and Caspian outside where he made them sit still. They gathered in a circle with him at the center, despite the chill in the air they managed to settle down and keep silent.
"Now close your eyes," he instructed them, " and listen to the sound of the wind until that is all you can hear." They did as they were told. The women learned to tune in faster than the men but at some point they all managed to calm their restlessness.  "Imagine a white light rising from the base of your spine, this white light will crawl up slowly to tap every part of your body. Pay attention to your breath as the white light gathers upward slowly."
His voice was gentle and warm, soon the group was lost in trans like state. Knut watched them in satisfaction, they were quick learners and it would help as he guided them through a centering exercise that would help them on their journey.
"Remember this feeling as you call on the power within you to reach out around you."
Evaline could feel the presence of everyone around her but her energy was drawn to one particular mortal face appearing in her vision, his eyes like chips of ice as he reached out toward his sword hilt and unsheathed his sword pointing to her. She saw herself  gathering her own weapon facing him squarely. He brought his sword down but she deflected the blow with her weapon, both blades clashed as wisps of electric current passed through them each blade drawing current from the other when behind him came two orcs. The creatures circled around them. They faced off the orcs their blades slicing through the air as the orcs tried to avoid being slaughtered. She saw the fight play out, the two orcs were beating down against them.  Back to back they managed to deliver each blow with a rythmn until both orcs where slaughtered. When she finally reached out to him, Xion disappeared and in his place came another face. One she had never seen before. He had a face that was beyond mortal beauty, his hair as white as snow falling in long waves down his back and his eyes the color of irises as they stared at her. He granted her a mocking smile, teeth as sharp as razors flashed and with a snap of his fingers her blade disappeared from her hands.
Surprised she stood before him breathing heavily from the excursion of her recent fight.
"Where have you been hiding little one?" He asked
She shook her head when he took a step forward, he was wearing a black leather vest and similar trousers, his exposed arms a smattering of runic symbols that looked like Havah's. His leather clack billowed behind him as he walked toward her slowly, like a cat eyeing its prey.
She turned to escape but in a flash he stood before her, their faces only inches apart. He never touched her but she remained immobile as she stared at those irises that studied her face carefully.
"You don't belong with them." He whispered
She tried to scream but nothing came from her lips. She struggled to get away from him but he held her with a force that kept her rooted to the ground.
"Watch" he blew into her face.
Suddenly she was back in the arena at Pretoria, there was smoke everywhere as she smelled the charred remains of burning flesh. The stench made her cover her nose with her palm. She looked about her in horror as she watched Fae and orcs slaughter the humans. When she saw Captain Jacob his face contorted in rage as he tried to slice into an orc, but the Fae behind him decapitated his head. She watched as it rolled down the feild filled with served red limbs when it came to rest on a kneeling Estelle, her face a bloodied mess as an orc continued to batter it.
Evaline tried to take a step but her limbs were glued to the spot when she felt arms grabbed  her chins locking down. She saw the princess Mirasol, blood streaming down at the side of her face as she begged Evaline, pointing to her brother Nero who stood crying until a Fae rammed his sword straight into the young boy's heart.
Xion was running into a Fae, his blade ready to ram into the unseelie but his arm was severed, she could hear him scream in agony as the Fae cut into his other arm. Cem, Erica and Rufus were engaged with orcs who were slitting their throats. Finally she saw Darren, an unseelie dragging him by the hair.  She pulled at her feet trying desperately to reach him but the Fae picked him up as if he was a rodent and looked at Evaline with a sneer.  The Fae had hair the color of snow and light irises for eyes. His sharp razor like teeth bit into the neck of Darren. She could hear her young brother scream her name in agony.
Flaying her arms she opened her eyes, a tortured scream bubbling to the surface when she saw the obsedian eyes of Knut.
"It's alright Evaline, you had a vision." He touched the center of her forehead with his fingers. "Your safe now."
Evaline shook from within , the horror of what she saw seemed so real it was as if she was relieving the moments at the arena once more. Only this time, the people she cared about were suffering and it brought such intense pain. She had been paralyzed unable to help them and she couldn't tell wether that was what hurt more.
She looked around her at everyone just to reassure herself that they were okay. All of them were clutching their stomachs, some of them doubled over to the ground wincing in agony except for Caspian who stared at her as if she'd grown horns. At the rate she was going she probably had horns, she felt above her head and sighed when she discover it to be flat.
"It was So real" she muttered.
"What did you see?" Caspian asked taking a step toward her.
"I saw them die, back in the arena at Pretoria. I saw ......" she choked tears gathered in her eyes as she tried to shake the memory away.
"An alternate reality." Knut nodded stepping back from her. "A probability, something that could have happened but did not. "
"Why did she have it?" Caspian asked the question bunting on her mind.
Knut looked at Caspian. "She faced her fear, something that may not have happened yet.....it exists in an alternate frame of mind. She cares about the people in this circle."
"But I couldn't help them" she said helplessly.
"That's because your afraid to draw on your innate powers, that fear made you see a possibility if you don't."
Knut replied.
"Well I feel terrible!" Rufus rose back to his feet. "What in plagues turd hole happened?!" He continued rubbing his flat belly with a groan.
"What you felt for a brief moment is a connection to Evaline's seelie power. She reached out to all of you the minute you summoned your white light. It was a beacon calling to her energy which for a moment you felt until her pain ,which she couldn't express in her vision, became a part of you." He clapped his palms and went to the center of the circle once more as the rest of them started to get up.
"If this is what feeling Evaline's seelie power is all about then I'm ready pass." Erica winced as she sat on the floor.
"That because it was raw. Now all of you get up."Knut commanded.
"Wait, I did not sense Evaline." Caspian spoke out curiously. "How is it possible that the rest of them did but not me?"
"Because you have already harnessed your innate power, you don't need her to guide your seelie powers that come from your mangalese bloodline. They on the other hand," knut pointed to the circle, "are not as gifted."
Xion took a deep breath as the pain completely disappeared. "I for one don't think connecting with her powers will be of of benefit. After what I experienced of the pain it would do more harm than good."
Evaline was inclined to agree but kept her mouth shut when Knut raised his hands.
"Let us observe a demonstration my lord." Knut hid his smile. "Young man, do come forward," he motioned to Cem who came to the center of the circle, "my Lord if you please."
Xion moved to join Chem. Knut ordered them to draw their swords while instructing Evaline to feel the energy of Cem.
Fixing her gaze to Cem she reached out with her senses and felt his energy, it felt like a whisp of wind that connected to her like a magnet. It was such an immediate reaction she was surprised to have felt it so quickly. She realized that it was because Cem was open to receiving. She could see a green light surround him, surprising her.
"There Evaline, you see his aura, that is a gift of the Fae. " Knut smiled with satisfaction.
"That was quick," she murmured in awe.
"That's because your powers are sinking into your core. Before long it won't take as much time, it will happen quickly. Now gentlemen, you may engage." Knut commanded.
Evaline watched incredulously as Cem knocked Xion in a blinding flash of swift action. It was barely a minute before Xion fell flat on his arse with the blade pointed at his neck. Cem was completely flummoxed staring at his sword hand in wonder before shifting his gaze to Evaline with a mixture of awe and fear. Xion on the other hand was skeptical swiveling his gaze to stare at Evaline before he shook his head. He was probably exhausted but it made him realize just how vulnerable they all were in this land.
"I'm just recovering from my recent ordeal," he said defensively.
"Don't be so sure my Lord." Knut replied smugly before addressing the rest. " You will have much to face ahead of you, you will need to protect yourselves from what's out there and she is the one that can help you survive. Now on your feet the lot of you and let's finish this final exercise." He called Caspian and Evaline to the center instructing them to stand back to back. He told them to reach out to each and everyone that was within their sight and focus on them before he told the rest to engage each other.
Evaline could feel her energy immediately connect with her group and watched as they engage each other, time seemed irrelevant as the pairs continued to face off. When Knut called a halt to the exercise, each one stopped fighting and started in wonder at their swords.
"What did you feel?" Knut asked no one in particular
"Stronger?" Rufus was perplexed as he flexed his sword hand.
"Certainly not tired," Estelle smirked as she nodded at Evaline.
Knut smiled satisfied. "Then you have embraced the full force of your connection to your core.  You will need to make use of it when the time comes."
"Well if this is what it feels like then Where have you been all my life Evaline. "Rufus grinned winking devilishly at her making her turn beet red. It was meant as a jibe but one look at Xion and he had to turn away.
Xion frowned at the reaction of his commander. "You shouldn't be too cocky Rufus, you've managed without her before!"
"But....... apologies my lord." Rufus bowed his head.
Xion wouldn't admit feeling the same way, he hated the idea of having to depend on the Fae to get him through this quest. "Is this the only way to defeat what awaits us?" He addressed his question to Knut.
"Worst things can happen Xion. We are in the land of the Fae, their magic is limitless.  We are on uncharted territory it's best to pay heed to the elf." It was Caspian who spoke both men stared at each other mutinously.
"Well that's all for now, you have four hours before dawn, I suggest you bed down and rest for tomorrow will be another challenge you will have face." Knut announced casually before turning to depart leaving the rest of them to ponder on what just happened.
Xion wiped that bead of sweat on his forehead, scratching his growing beard he shook his head at the events that just transpired. Erica, Estelle and Rufus came to his side.
"What now my lord?" Rufus asked.
"You heard the elf, it's best we retire for the night, we have a few more hours before anything else that might transpire." He removed his gauntlet and flexed his hands.
"Yes we should but where," Estelle swept her arm around the area, "did he mean here or inside?"
"I suggest you ladies take the cottage, Rufus and I can find a place suitable close to the house."
Nodding, the women departed retrieving their gear before walking toward the cottage.
"I have to admit, the elf was right about the seelie, she does have power, I felt it!" Rufus couldn't help his remark knowing that it might raise the ire of his lord.
"We are on uncharted territory , I admit that there is something, but I'm not quite sure I can trust it." Xion said tritely.
Nodding his head, Rufus went to his gear.
Caspian gave a slight nudge to Evaline, a smile playing on his lips. "I suppose there's something to be said about Fae magic"
"How will I know when it's time to use it?" She asked, looking up at him for answers.
"You will when it's time," he replied turning to Captain Jacob and Cem who approached them looking at Evaline and him curiously.
"It could have been activated by the elf. He won't be coming on this journey, I gather." Captain Jacob said.
"No he will not, "Caspian replied. "But we have each other and there's Havah and my mother. I suppose between us we will survive this and find what we are suppose to be finding."
"We don't even know where the dark Fae took the royals." Captain Jacob continued. "We don't know if they're.........." he paused refusing to put words into the unthinkable.
"We have to trust Havah, if there's anything I do know about her it's this: Fae or not she has integrity and in the past three years she has been living with us she could have betrayed us countless times but she did not."
"Don't be too sure, after all the dark Fae did show up during the games. She could have chosen the time to tell them."
"Why now?" Caspian arched a brow "There were other opportunities, not to mention, her life is at stake as well as ours. I place my faith in Havah, she is not leading us into a trap but I do admit there is more to this than meets the eye. I believe we will find out soon enough." He paused turning to Evaline. " Come it's best we go to the cottage and bed down we have only four hours left before the time to depart."
Back at the cottage, Evaline noticed Knut to be absent, Estelle and Erica had prepared a pallet in which to lie down in a corner of the living room. Jutu was stirring something in the couldron and placing them in separate vials while Havah was sharpening her daggers. She looked up when Evaline sat on the chair to join her.
"Did you have fun out there?"
Evaline snorted.
"I take it it was an interesting moment," Havah mocked. "Knut must have shown you how you could put your powers to good use."
"If you could say that." Evaline explained what happened , Havah could only nod.
"Then there's hope for them surviving this after all. We just have to remain together. Tomorrow we proceed with the rest of the journey."
"Do you know where the dark Fae are holding them." Evaline asked.
"Jutu had a vision, it seems they have scattered them in different places. One of them being here at the citadel."
"Is Darren here?" Evaline asked hopefully
"I'm not sure, the visions were muddled but he is definitely in one place and he is safe along with the princess and her brother. We couldn't see Eve."
"Plagues!" Evaline exclaimed worriedly .
"Don't fret Evaline, just because we cannot see her it doesn't mean she isn't among them somewhere. We only saw images of a handful of royals, others are still missing. I know she's alive."
"How?"
"Do you really want to know?" Havah asked candidly seeing Evaline mood, she grabbed her arm and drew a runic symbol of a circle with a horizontal line on evalines's arm with her dagger. The blood instantly disappeared as the symbol merged with her flesh into a bluish mark "Close your eyes and think of Eve."
Evaline did just that, conjuring an image of the meriadon queen. There was darkness in her vision, a void that was filled with coldness and a gnawing fear. Something poked her foot and she winced opening her eyes immediately.
"What did you see?" Havah asked curiously.
"Darkness, coldness, fear and something poking my foot."
Havah nodded sagely. "What you felt is Eve so now you know that she is alive but perhaps in danger."
Evaline repeat the exercise using an image of Darren, she saw him seated on a floor, he was holding on to something, tears crusted his dirty cheek as he stared at something before him but he didn't make a sound, he just sat there looking.
"I saw Darren," she remarked relieved at finding him.
"Good, then you can rest easily and rest you must for tomorrow will be a test of our resilience. Do you remember the map I drew."
Evaline nodded her head.
"We will have to cross the river to get to the ever changing mountains. We need our wits about us for the river houses the selkies or one of their tribe. There are many rivers with selkies living in them, we will have to be stealth if we are to make it through the next leg of our journey."
Evaline nodded quietly before taking the couch where she spread her cloak. Turning to Jutu who was still filling up vials she watched for awhile until her eyes grew heavy. What she experienced that day left her filled with a riot of emotions but now was not the time to show weakness for the life of her brother was at stake. If she was seelie, so was he and she prayed to the gods to keep him safe for if they discovered he was then there was no telling what they would do to him