The Colorless Land

Chapter 17: Once There Were Dragons

There was a long, awkward silence.

All eyes lay on the pendants, doubtful and deep in thought. If anyone had a good idea, they did not say it out loud. No one seemed eager to be the first to speak up.

At last Evariel rose, pushing himself out of his chair with an effort as if fighting against his nerves, his bright blue eyes staring into the round. "Why don't we keep them here?" he asked. "They're safe in this place. The Colorless will never find them." A few of the elves raised critical eyebrows, and he crossed his arms in defense. "And if they do, there's no better place to defend them."

Raimoriel gave a snort, motioning for him to sit down. "Silly," she said. "Are you saying we should keep these all-powerful artifacts that we could use to change the world and not do anything?"

A few of the other elves nodded in agreement, and Evariel flushed. "What would you do?" he shot back. "Aithal can manage, but would you send this half-grown sapling—" he gestured in Edmian's direction—"out into the wild when he's being hunted?"

"My son," Talirion piped in, "you forget there is no reason for the boy to keep the pendant."

Edmian tensed, his eyes flashing. His pendant disappeared back under his shirt. Jolette jumped up, raising an arm in front of him. "Don't you dare touch him."

"Think about it!" Raimoriel declared. "Have you not heard what Lady Elisya has said? If the wielder is strong enough, they can have absolute command over the Colorless! Would you truly leave Free Will in this weak boy's hands when we could use it to stop all the Colorless' crimes?"

Jolette slammed a hand on the table. "Don't ever call him weak again! You have no idea what Edmian's been through!"

"Silence, girl!"

Another elf had jumped up, a tall, striking figure with brown skin and dark hair, his gray eyes almost unsettlingly bright as they met with hers. "What do you know of the world?" he demanded. "You have lived for thirteen years, and the Lady Raimoriel has lived for four hundred. Do not be so insolent as to claim you know something she does not."

Jolette took a deep breath, ready to yell a retort when a hand on her arm stopped her. Spinning around, she found Edmian gazing up at her, the blue flash faded out of his face, his eyes gentle once more.

"It's all right, Elthomion," Raimoriel told the elf at the same time, her voice calm but her smile mocking. "She is at that awful point in adolescence when we all claim to know everything. We should be patient."

"Don't treat me like a kid," Jolette muttered, but she sat down. She wouldn't look any more mature by picking a fight with a bunch of elves when they had something more important to discuss.

"I'd listen to her if I were you people," Evariel said with flashing eyes. "You may have lived longer, but she's known him longer than both of you combined!"

"You calm down too, baby brother. This is about wisdom, something you clearly won't have for another hundred years."

"Will you be quiet, all of you!"

They all fell silent. Lisha was back on her feet, glaring at them all until they sat down one by one, lowering their heads in shame.

"Fools," she said. "This is no time for family disputes and personal quarrels. It is not too much to ask for your cooperation for one council!"

The elves did not dare look up. Raimoriel muttered an apology. Elthomion took a deep breath, as if to calm himself down. Evariel alone looked both embarrassed and furious, his face bright red up to the tips of his ears.