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The wilderness on the elementalists’ land was different. It was like everything vibrated a hundred times more. All the life within the ward was happy, bursting with magic and energy. I thought about how I fed Shetz’s garden, how I always connected with nature, how my magic had a stronger connection with the elements. Was this what could happen to the wild if it had an untapped source of food from the elementalists? There was no doubt in my mind that the plants were like this, so full of life, because of the elementalists and their power.
Shanton and Siitha stayed at my side as the three guards wrapped around us from the back and Jezek took lead. They all walked like their feet didn’t touch the ground, and I began feeling like a giant trying to sneak around in a glass house.
We traveled for twenty minutes before we saw the first sign of their village. It was a small cottage wrapped in vines with gorgeous flowers growing along a cobblestone sidewalk. It was adorable, with shutters thrown open and movement through the window telling me someone was inside.
Another five minutes and more cottages came into view. As we moved deeper into their territory, more and more cottages appeared, closer together. I noted the way they changed, how they grew bigger, how suddenly, they became two floors, and started to resemble cabins instead. I heard the others, sensed them, but they stayed hidden. Power filled the air and flared when we walked by people. Their suspicion pressed against me, wrapped with curiosity.
“Don’t get many visitors?” I asked, trying to break the tension.
“Not escorted as you are,” Jezek responded, and even though his head was turned away from me, I could hear his humor.
I noted someone closed their window and closed the curtains. Shanton stayed silent at my side, but his alertness sharpened his energy to borderline aggressive.
“I’m guessing it’s normally more dramatic,” I said. “Maybe with pitchforks and torches, with people throwing things, maybe a few spitballs? I bet a few number of beings have been dragged through here.”
Jezek didn’t respond for a moment. I waited him out. When he did, it wasn’t quite the response I was expecting. “There are many dangerous beings who would love to see us fall.” His voice was flat. “We take care of the threat when we can. Sometimes, the public demands to be a part of those punishments.”
I swallowed my shock. Did he just admit to lynching? To the elementalists having a mob mentality in the punishment of others? I didn’t know how I felt about that. Sure, some beings deserved what they got, but I didn’t know enough about their system to fully judge them. All I had were my instincts, and they told me that I wouldn’t like the way they dealt with beings they labeled a threat. Did the accused get a chance? Or were they overwhelmed by the screams for blood to spill? How exactly did they execute?
My thoughts automatically went to the dreho the elementalists had created. We had to go through caves to get to an ancient and dangerous weapon hidden by the very same people surrounding me. The dreho was one of their security measures.
I did a side glance to see Shanton staring at me. Did our thoughts briefly align to that incident? I didn’t like thinking about it. Not that I’d admit it to anyone, but my dreams were still haunted by that creature once in a while. Some of the anger I had buried deeply inside my soul rose, and I had to tamp it down. That dreho was a true abomination, a creature made by the parts of many, forced to endure an agonizing existence. It was thrown together with a careless thought and abandoned in those tunnels as a guard. Its fury and pain nearly destroyed me. Its emotions stabbed through me, overwhelmed, and I somehow unmade the creature.
“Are you okay, Dr. Porter?” Jezek asked.
“Just some wayward thoughts,” I replied and focused on our surroundings, trying to commit everything to memory in case we needed a quick exit plan. Shanton was definitely doing the same, though I was pretty sure he’d just turn into his dragon form and fly us out, maybe gobble up a couple of elementalists on his way out. That had me giggling.
“What’s so amusing?” Shanton asked.
I laughed again at my thoughts and shook my head. It wouldn’t be a bright idea to tell him. Shanton gave me an amused smile.
“We’re almost to the Highborn establishment,” Jezek said as we walked between two three-story buildings and out into a square. There were people there, not wearing the robes like our guards, but playing and having fun. Silence fell over them when they noticed us. Men stiffened, backs straightening, glowing green eyes narrowed as they pushed women and children behind them.
“Shanton, stop scowling,” I teased. “They think you’re going to eat their children.”
Shanton flashed teeth. “Not enough meat on their bones. I’m more likely to eat their men instead.” The power from the guards around us sharpened and built.
“He is joking,” Jezek called out. “Stand down.”
The power receded.
“Yeah, if he really meant to do it, he wouldn’t have bothered saying it. He’d just do it,” I said.
Jezek turned his head and tried to give me a warning with his eyes. I’d have taken it seriously if his lips weren’t turned up and if there wasn’t the slight shake in his body as he held in his laughter. I liked Jezek. He was probably the only one in this whole place who had any humor.
“Here we are.” Jezek stopped and faced a structure that looked more like a political building with all its whiteness and columns. It definitely looked like the most official building around.
“What exactly is this?” I asked.
“Welcome to Za’rashak,” Jezek said and swept his hand toward the building. “This building is the heart of our land, where people come for peace and protection, where all the big decisions are made.”
“Uh-huh.” I tried to sound impressed. I wasn’t, though it was a breathtaking building. Vines grew up over the white brick with pretty little flowers growing on them. The pixies fluttered around at work and my senses told me they were excited. One floated down and flew around me with a warm smile. She waved, flew around my head, and then took off toward the building again. A reflection caught my attention on top of the multi-rooftop.
“Is there a huge nest up there?” I asked.
“Correct. Some of our elementalists have bonded with avian creatures.” Jezek looked down at Siitha. “We have nests spread throughout the property for them to rest and play.”
“So it isn’t weird for me to connect with Siitha?” I dropped my hand on top of my kitty and gave him a head scratch. He purred at the touch.
“No. Only the strong can form such a connection, but it does happen.” He grinned. “It’s a compliment to your abilities, especially to form with a behesiff. Some have tried, but they are particular creatures and it has never been done before.”
“I thought they’re attracted to magic and stay with the person belonging to that magic?” I asked.
“Partly. They stalk the person with the magic they like. They do not form bonds and they are never this domesticated. Your bond is deeper than that.” With those words, Jezek led us up the wide white stairs. I wanted to find some mud and ruin the pristine brick. He flicked his wrist and the two tall doors opened inward. Cool air drifted out as we walked into the building.
As we went through the door, I felt another ward, but this one wasn’t active, more like in a sleep mode.
“What is that?” I asked.
“If there is an attack, this is the location everyone goes to for protection. The wards snap into place and no one can get in, nor can they damage the building,” Jezek said. His expression told me there was more he wasn’t saying, but I wasn’t going to push. I wasn’t one of them, so they weren’t going to share their secrets with me.
More elementalists stood around, but by the way they turned toward us with varying expressions of smiles and curiosity, they’d been expecting us. No one moved to greet us as we bypassed a spiraling staircase meant to be used in ballrooms to announce people as they descended downward. To the right, we went down a wide hallway lined with wide arched windows that went down to waist level and reached up to the ceiling. Every other window was stained glass depicting scenes most likely connected to their religion.
“We have a local elementalist who has found a way to mold glass to her liking. She’s well known to the outside world as a glassmaker but she works under a pseudonym to hide who she is,” Jezek filled in as we walked by.
“Why do you work so hard to hide yourselves?” I asked.
“We are powerful, maybe close to the most powerful.” He gave Shanton a side glance. “There are people out there who would like to use that against us. Our history is not the best. It’s full of tragedy and a lot of blood. We are no strangers to loss because of others’ greed.”
I didn’t reply and he led us to another room. It was small, windowless, with fancy paintings lining the walls. The table in the room told me this was used as a meeting room.
“Please wait here while everyone gathers. This was unexpected, but you are welcomed here, Laila. Please don’t think otherwise.” He gave a short bow. “A pleasure seeing you again. Someone will be along shortly.”
With those parting words, he left, the door closing softly behind him. I waited to hear the click of a lock sliding into place, and when it didn’t, I glanced at Shanton. “Think we really aren’t prisoners?” I asked.
He grinned, his teeth flashing, the predator in him out to play. All the attention we’d received walking in had put him on edge. He hid it well, though. “I’d say we can never be too careful surrounded by strangers.”
I walked over and touched the door. Nothing happened. No spells. When I opened it, there was no resistance. I glanced out into the hallway, looking both ways. There were people down the hall to the left walking away from us, but no guards.
“Okay, so not prisoners. Yet,” I said, closing the door and turning to look at Shanton. “What are your instincts telling you about this place?”
“No ill will. Yet. They’re wary, curious, cautious. When we came into the building, they were even happy, excited, and a couple of people confused. But no one angry or upset, no one ready to charge at us. No one wants us dead.”
I grinned. “Yet.”
He grinned back.
We didn’t have to wait long until the door opened. A willowy woman walked in, her robes a deep blue. The hood was down to reveal a heart-shaped face with glowing green eyes. Her brown hair was pulled back in a French braid and something about her was familiar.
“Hello, my name is Atasha,” she said in a low silky voice. Her eyes trained on me and never looked away as she came closer. “It really is a pleasure to meet you, Laila.”
“Hello,” I replied, not sure what was going through her head. My eyes flickered over her features, at the way her nose curved, her eyebrows arched. The shape of her eyes. She was so familiar, but I couldn’t pinpoint why.
Shanton looked between us with a frown.
“What?” I asked.
“She could be your sister,” Shanton said, sounding confused.
Atasha giggled, her hand going to her mouth.
“Or maybe an aunt,” she replied, and I gaped at her.
“You’re my aunt?” I asked.
She nodded. “Now that I’ve met you, I have no doubt. You’re my little niece. I...” she trailed off as her voice cracked. She took in a shuddering breath. “I never thought I’d have family. Not since—” She shook her head, her breathing shaky. “Excuse me, this was just not how I thought my day would go.”
I tried to smile, confusion curling around in me. “Usually how it works.”
Her smile widened. “I’m here to take you to the Highborn Council.”
“The council?”
“Yes.” She nodded. “It’s the five most powerful elementalists. You’ve met one of them already.”
“Elaria?”
“Correct. She’s the nicest of them all. Be glad it has only been her who you have met. The others are older, and that age makes it difficult for them to adapt to new ways. If they had their way, when we first learned about you, you would have been killed.” Atasha shook her head, her expression twisted with disgust before she managed to smooth it out. She cleared her throat. “I apologize. Your discovery has caused quite a stir. Elaria has worked hard to make them open to your presence. They wish to meet you.”
“Why would they kill me right off?” I asked.
Atasha’s shoulders fell. “We have rules and traditions. Your parents broke them all.”
“And I would be punished for their crimes,” I snapped out. When we were in the tunnels, I had been transported to a room full of skeletons. There had been skeletal remains of children down there. If what Atasha said was true, then that meant they punished children because of their parents. My skin itched with indignation. How many children died because of adults? How many innocents? I thought of the carving that was etched into the wall about a pregnant woman who was forced into the tunnels and died in them, about the man who went with her but didn’t survive the initial fall. They were barbaric. They hid behind false proprietary, but they were as monstrous as the dreho they’d created. No, they were worse. So much worse.
My blood ran hot with anger.
“Laila,” Shanton murmured and grabbed my hand. “Calm down. Not here, not now.”
I took in a sharp breath to calm myself. They weren’t all like that, and Atasha proved that people fought against it. Losing, but fighting. So I focused on the other part of what Atasha had said.
“My parents?” I asked. “You said they broke them all, what happened? Are they alive?”
Atasha’s shoulders slumped and tears filled her eyes. “I am sorry, Laila. They are no longer alive.”
Her words meant something. I knew they did, but I couldn’t completely process them. I couldn’t completely grasp what they meant. Something sharp and painful stabbed into my chest and twisted, but I didn’t understand it. My parents were a topic I never talked about or brought up with anyone. They didn’t exist in my world. If I wasn’t worth enough to keep, if I really was just trash to them, they were the same for me. They were nothing. But knowing they were dead, that they actually were no longer in this world. I didn’t know what to think or how to feel. It was one thing for me to cut them out of my life, but for them to have not been alive? I felt robbed. Weird, I knew, but with them dead, I felt robbed.
Someone knocked on the door, breaking the silence that wrapped around the room and choked me.
“Yes?” Atasha asked.
The head of a young man popped in through the cracked door. “They are waiting.”
She sighed. “Of course.” She turned back to us with a small smile. “Shall we go?”
“Are we in danger?” Shanton asked.
Atasha blinked in surprise. Shanton’s hard stare dared her to try to lie to him. He was ready to tear her head off if she did. “No,” she finally answered. “Laila may not think it, but she is one of us.” Her eyes dipped down to Siitha. “And she’s powerful. I’d say if she were to embrace us, she’d be in line to be part of the Highborn Council in the future.”
Shanton didn’t look impressed. “In my experience, powerful people either fall in line or are killed.”
Shaking her head, Atasha stepped forward. “I’d never let that happen. They may refuse to accept it, but life is changing. They’d be stupid to do anything to Laila.” She turned to me. “I will keep you safe. I promise my life on it.”
The way she said it, the shiver in the air, told me her promise was not made lightly. She meant it and she had put power into that promise. I gasped at the full implication of what she did. She nodded, confirming my thoughts. She really was prepared to die for me, and she didn’t know me.
I nodded. “I believe you. Let’s go meet your council.”
“Thank you.” Her smile was shaky but sincere.
I wasn’t sure what was going to happen here, but maybe it was time I got a few answers.
