| |
Vera missed a step in her series of flips, landing hard on her shoulder with a yelp of pain.
"Vera!" Wizkand gasped, rushing to her side. "How badly are you hurt, child?" When she didn't respond, his voice grew frantic. "Look at me! What's wrong? Vera!" She stared up at the sky, her gaze frightened and distant. Wizkand shook her shoulders. "Vera! Vera! Snap out of it!"
"Wizzy," she whispered, barely noticing his fear.
"What?" Wizkand turned Vera's gaze toward his. "What is it child? What?"
"Do you hear it?" she asked, tears welling in her eyes.
"Hear what?" He turned his head, hearing nothing but the sounds of the forest.
"Death. So much death." She shuddered, letting him pull her into a seated position. "Oh, gods, Wizzy!" she cried. "Thousands! There are thousands of them! They're dying! We have to help them!"
"Who? Where?" Wizkand gave up trying to listen and leaned in toward her. It had to be the kingdom speaking to her.
Vera pointed to the west with a shaking hand, her teeth chattering. "Why do I hear it, Wizzy? Why do I know what it means? There's a voice, but it's not a voice. It's telling me that my people are dying, that there's nothing I can do to stop it. That I'm too weak to save them!"
Wizkand looked to the unbroken horizon to the west. The air was calm and peaceful. If a battle were raging, it was too many leagues away for them to detect. It must be in the human territories. Lacey had said a revolt was occurring. "Vera, this isn't our battle. You've suffered enough. We've suffered enough. Leave it alone, this voice you hear."
Vera's gaze settled on him at last, but her expression was hurt and confused. "If only you could feel the kingdom crying out for mercy, for help, as I can. Then you would not say such things." Her gaze traveled west again, and Wizkand fell silent. "It will not last long," she supplied mournfully. "The kingdom is telling me this is the beginning of something, master wizard."
Wizkand looked over at Vera, his heart breaking at the quiet resolution in her voice. "The beginning of what, my high queen?"
"It is the beginning of the end of this dark era," she muttered, wiping the tears from her eyes. "So much death, so much waste."