Elven Legacy

Chapter 24

Tessa

It appeared Kitera had underestimated the size of the Miriath Forest. Either that, or she'd overestimated their speed. As the evening grew dark, they still rode surrounded by woods, and decided to set up camp.

They chose a flowery meadow dominated by yellow heleniums, with a cleared out, blackened circle in the center which other travelers had evidently used for a campfire before them. A stream trickled not too far off where the horses could drink, where they'd refilled their waterskins and cleaned their hands and faces.

After Dharkan and Kitera had gathered enough firewood, Tessa conjured a strong, blazing fire using what felt like a tiny sliver of her magic. They taunted her sometimes, the teasing prickles and tingles – the terrible potential, contained within. Waiting.

Tessa opted to wait until after dinner – rabbits hunted by Moira and Jaden, roasted over the fire, and a bunch of wild strawberries discovered earlier by Kitera and Dharkan – to break the demoralizing news.

Karma had been back a long while ago, but Tessa hadn't wished to needlessly trouble anyone's appetite. Now, Karma was perched high in a pine tree by the stream, some ten yards away, watching over the horses.

Witnessing forest life through Karma's eyes proved an intriguing experience. With no humans nearby, animals lost their shyness. Over the past few hours, she'd seen deer, foxes, and even a lynx who'd come prowling out with the sunset.

Tessa brought her focus back to their camp. Kitera and Moira had already pulled woolen blankets from their saddle bags. Jaden sat on a log, staring into the fire, cool wind rustling his hair, in which light-blond strands caught moonlight and firelight in turn. Seated on another log beside Tessa, Dharkan reached inside his bag – not for a blanket, but for his metal flask.

Surrounding them, a nightly forest symphony rose. Cawing of crows, hooting of owls, leaves and twigs cracking as unseen small animals scurried about. The wind keened across the meadow, carrying with it the fresh scent of cypress, fir, and late-season blossoms. The sky held clear save for a few straggly clouds – scarce patches of gray over a background of luminous star-flecked black. Tessa pulled her cloak tighter about herself, grateful for its comfortable warmth.

Sensing her brother's inquisitive gaze on her, she spoke up before he could ask.

"Zemisha and her captors are in Bachezze," Tessa told him, and something achingly dark flashed across his eyes. He constantly worried about Zemisha, she knew. Continually distraught, anxious; Jaden was so expressive, it was blatantly obvious.

How is it, then, that we share the same blood? When he's so very kind, and I'm so . . .

Unkind may be a bit of an understatement.

Tessa glanced away from Jaden, and poked the fire with a long, thin branch as she said, "Don't fret. She's safe. She's simply . . ."

"So far away," Jaden finished for her in a blanched voice.

Kitera had interrupted her movements, blanket still half-rolled in her lap. She stared at Tessa through flickering flames.

"They do have demon horses, then," Kitera said sternly.

Tessa nodded. "Two tall, magnificent beasts, one light-brown and the other's a piebald. The driver wears a hooded cloak like mine – most likely for the same reasons."

Kitera said nothing, staring down at her lap with a defeated sigh.

Dharkan took a swig from his flask, swallowed, then to no one in particular, said, "Gods, I miss Xephos."