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“Let me see this scroll.” That was the first and only thing out of Relian’s mouth as Cal finished speaking. The urgency in his voice startled him. And Cal, too. Her eyes widened before she took an uncertain step back from him. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he cautioned himself to have patience, with both himself and Cal. He’d already resisted the overwhelming urge to stalk down the halls in search of the mysterious scroll, even though the feeling hadn’t truly left. If the parchment contained what she thought it did...
He hurriedly pulled Cal from the room, causing her to stumble. As soon as she righted herself, he was eating up the distance to their destination in long strides. An unsettling feeling about her gave him pause, though. Ambivalence radiated off her, along with something else. He could’ve sworn she—
He searched through the forming bond. She was fuming behind him. Dismay clouded his mind for a moment. When had she become so upset? Admittedly, she’d been nervous from the start, even before their meal was over.
But of what? She was all but his betrothed and should be secure of her position—there his thoughts drew an uneasy parallel. She was human. Reality crashed down on his exhilaration, almost pulling him up short. How obtuse to ignore her concerns because of his excitement. Now that snippet of conversation he’d overheard earlier made much more sense than it had before. She might wonder what the scroll would mean for her, mean for her life here. It seemed as if she had valid fears.
He’d never let harm come to her, or Maggie for that matter, but he had to convince her of that. One part of him wanted to be offended she had reservations. However, in truth, he hadn’t addressed or even noticed her emotional distress until now.
Stopping, he halted Cal as she attempted to walk on. She kept her face level with his chest. Even when he tried to get her attention, she mulishly ignored him. When he drew her into his arms, her body went stiff.
He’d offended her with his behavior and been abrupt with her. Time to rectify that. “My lady, I didn’t mean to cause umbrage with my actions.”
“Jerk.”
He winced. This wasn’t going so well.
She wouldn’t even glance at him as words spewed from her mouth. “I don’t like being treated like a sack of potatoes that needs to be lugged around. I get you’re anxious, but I’m not a servant to unquestionably follow orders, Your Highness.”
He recoiled from her furious words. “I’m truly contrite. My impatience with you wasn’t intended or planned. The information you presented...just overwhelmed me, making me forget all else temporarily.” He touched her cheek, knowing she couldn’t resist such a move on his part. “I’m sorry. Please understand, if you’re right, what this could mean to the people of Eria. That would be no small piece of knowledge.”
She finally looked up. “I know, but truthfully, that’s partly the reason I’m afraid.” Her voice caught. “I’m human, and so is Maggie. We don’t want anyone to misread that passage and think it calls for human blood in totally unacceptable ways. We don’t want to be forced into anything.”
“I can see your fear. But even you mentioned it has to be willingly given, so I don’t think many would misunderstand that part.”
Cal shook her head. “All it would take is a few, though.”
“I would protect you and Maggie. You know that. I think the best course right now is for me to actually read what’s written on that scroll.”
Sighing, she took his proffered hand. She still seemed hesitant, but he no longer sensed her distress honing in on him like an arrow. That he could handle.
They walked in silence at a steady pace, side by side. Once they arrived at the den, he opened the door and motioned for her to go inside. She immediately went over to one of the shelves lining the room and reached between books and multiple scrolls.
After pulling out a rolled-up piece of parchment carefully hidden behind the others, she placed it on the nearest desk and stepped back. “It looks to be quite old.” A wry smile flitted over her face. “But then, old is relative here, or so I’ve come to learn.”
Looking at the scroll, he could see how she arrived at that conclusion, even though it was as she admitted. Though it was tattered at the edges, it wasn’t that old, given the style of the parchment and its overall condition. “It’s probably only one or two thousand years old.”
“That old? How is it still in one piece, lying in the open air as it has been?” The wonder in her voice told him this wasn’t a common occurrence in her world.
He shrugged. “It’s probably a combination of how we formulate and manufacture our paper, coupled with the natural magic that sustains our world.”
Now that he was here, now that the scroll rested before him, he hesitated to pick it up and read it. So much could rest on that one sheet of paper. His hands shook as he reached for it. The parchment was smooth against his hands, like any other piece would be. He didn’t know why, but it surprised him it wasn’t any different.
As he smoothed the scroll out on the desk, he perused it carefully and came to the same conclusion Cal had—that mortality or humanity factored heavily into whatever means they were to take.
He let out a long breath he hadn’t known he kept hostage, his mind reeling at what to do next. First, they had to determine if the passage was a real instance of foresight or some flight of fantasy. If it was real, the practical application of that information would be the next hurdle to face. He glanced over at Cal, who’d moved closer.
She put her hand on his arm. “Well, what do you think?”
***
Late that night, Relian shifted anxiously as his father finished reading the scroll. The moment stretched on, even though only a matter of minutes had passed since he’d read it himself. Cal stood by his side, hands clasped together.
Talion looked up, disbelief in his eyes. “I thought this seemed familiar.” He must’ve seen astonishment on their faces, for he chuckled. “No, I wasn’t referring to the prophetic passage but to something else within this scroll.”
Relian furrowed his brow. “What, Father?”
“The handwriting. I know that script.”
To his disappointment, his father didn’t add anything more to that last statement. “Whose?”
Talion gave another chuckle, this time without any humor. “I’m not sure if you want that answer.”
Relian rolled his eyes. “Father, I’ve long been of the age to hear unpleasant tidings.”
“Yes, but about your family?” Talion shuffled papers around on his desk, arranging them in neat piles. “Your mother’s family, to be exact?”
A sick feeling took root, and he leveled a piercing look upon his father. He better explain what he meant.
“The person who wrote this was known to have some foresight. It was your mother’s father.” Talion raised his hand, forestalling the flood of questions. “I can only hazard a guess as to why this was buried somewhere inconsequential. I need to do some research before I reveal that reason to you.”
He was about to argue the point when Cal’s voice chimed in. “Huh, I guess you all pull that mysterious I-know-something-you-don’t stuff on each other, and not just on the poor, ignorant humans you happen to run across.”
***
“Andrian was there—” Talion’s voice broke off. Cal and Maggie stood outside the door to the king’s study the next morning, ready to knock, and shared a knowing glance. All talk inside had come to a halt. Big surprise there. Still, they’d come here invited. Maybe they would find out something.
The king bade them to enter. As they walked in, the men’s gazes lay heavily upon them. Cal gulped. The feeling of being on trial wouldn’t go away, but she knew why they all gathered there.
Glancing around, she saw only the most trusted advisors and councilors there. Relian had taken her aside earlier to tell her of the meeting and who would attend. Besides the king, Relian, and Kenhel, in attendance were also Avrin and Sardon, along with a few others.
Talion gestured with a hand, favoring them with a slight smile. “Please sit down, my dears.”
They took their seats, ensconced between Relian and Avrin, while the king got down to business. “All here were previously informed as to why we gather here today. I give leave for everyone to speak freely.”
Kenhel spread out his long legs before him. “Like we ever wait for permission.”
“Indeed,” said Avrin, throwing an amused look at the irritated king.
Talion cast his gaze upward but offered no response. These had to be his closest friends and advisors, for only people at ease with him would dare tease him so. It definitely didn’t happen at the more public functions.
Talion cleared his throat. “I believe we’re all in agreement about the mortality part specified? There seems to be something in the blood of mortals that might serve as a possible cure.”
Maggie grimaced. “As long as it’s not construed as a blood sacrifice, I’d have to admit, yes, there’s something in our blood that the passage seems to refer to.”
Sardon wore a distasteful look on his face. “We don’t practice blood sacrifice, especially the way in which you mean it. We’re not so savage that we think we can find a willing victim, slit his or her throat, and that everything will return to how it should be with the mere act.”
Maggie stared at Sardon, her mouth agape until Avrin’s voice filled the void. “What my dear friend is so eloquently trying to say is we think the passage refers to blood being collected. To be freely given, yes, but in small amounts that come nowhere near the point of death for the humans involved. We’re sure the freewill part is a warning to some of our more overzealous people who might be tempted to take matters into their own hands. Again, I’m not saying most would cause any lasting physical harm, but the willing part might be somewhat overlooked. Sleep can be easy to force upon another, especially a human not used to our ways. As Sardon alluded to, we’ve never dealt with notions of sacrificial death, at least in our recorded history. We see no reason to start now. We merely need blood that’s been willingly offered that we can study and analyze, so we can dissect the puzzle.”
Cal’s cheeks, like Maggie’s, flamed as their seemingly erroneous worry was called out. Relief also infiltrated her mind. Though they hadn’t really believed that death awaited them—or any other human the elves got their hands on—they’d still pictured other devious, sadistic ways the elves might use to extract human blood. Maiming hadn’t sounded like such an impossibility with the stakes so high.
She voiced another concern that Avrin’s words brought up. “But do you have the needed knowledge and technology to work with blood? At least in our land, it takes regimented procedures and equipment to carry out that kind of research.”
Talion steepled his fingers. “That could be a problem area for us. Our sicknesses are few, so research of the kind you speak of has been infrequent. We possess some basic knowledge of microscopes, but much of our equipment literally dates back to the time when elves and humans lived on the same Earth.”
Maggie made a derisive sound. “Of course.”
He gazed at her calmly. “Back then, we were much more heavily involved with research involving sickness and disease—mostly yours, not ours.”
She frowned, apparently not liking the perceived slur against humanity’s perceived fragility. “Just how far back was this? There’s no actual evidence you guys ever existed on Earth.”
Talion nodded. “I’m not surprised. I believe your world went through many dark ages, and much knowledge would’ve been lost.”
Maggie tossed a challenging look his way. “That doesn’t explain why people who dig up and study what’s been buried for centuries wouldn’t find any evidence of your occupation.”
A contemplative mien stole over his face. “Mayhap we didn’t leave much behind for them to find and what we did more than likely returned to nature. That’s always been where we excelled: nature magic. It’s infused into almost everything we build and craft. Without us there to sustain it, many items would disintegrate rapidly. And what didn’t would obtain a decidedly human slant to it.”
Another advisor, Cian, sighed. “Though this is very interesting, it doesn’t solve the issue at hand.” He turned his stern visage to Cal and Maggie. “Does your world have the proper technology to carry out research of a medical kind?”
Instead of being cowed, Cal shared an excited look with Maggie before they chuckled. “Yes,” the answer came in unison from them both.
Did their country ever have the technology! It was like asking a duck if it liked water. Better yet, would this be a chance to go home. How would that work, though? The veil supposedly only showed up when it wanted to. Even if it did make an appearance, would it let her and Maggie through? Well, they’d find out one way or another.
Cal tapped her finger on her bottom lip. “Maggie, don’t you have a relative who’s a medical researcher?”
The possibilities highlighted by that question shone on Maggie’s face. “Yes. He and his colleagues study all manner of medically intriguing things, well, intriguing to them.” She grabbed Avrin’s hand in excitement, eliciting a grin from him. He didn’t seem to mind in the least. Very interesting. Could her friend be falling for the handsome elf—and he for her?
For some reason, Cal watched Talion’s response. He gazed at his friend with a raised brow before addressing the matter of their discussion. “If we can’t determine a solution ourselves, it seems the humans’ Earth will be a prime place to visit for such knowledge.”
“So you think the veil will sense your need and let you cross over?” Maggie asked, asking one of the questions preying on her mind.
Talion shrugged. “That is often how it has functioned in the past.”
Cal piped in, not able to contain her eagerness. “Would we be able to go along?”
All the men glanced at each other. Alarm blared through her. What were they hiding?
Talion nodded slowly. “Once your year is up or you’re bonded to Relian, we’ll ensure you’re free to go.”
A twinge of disappointment hit. They’d only been in Eria for six months. Another half a year to go. If she bonded with Relian right now, would it truly make any difference to the timeframe? She was half-afraid to ask. “How about Maggie?”
Something flashed across Talion’s expression, but it was too quick for her to place it. “If you go, she can, too.”
He returned his attention to Avrin. “You know many of the healers, as you trained as one yourself. Will you see to the master healers, making them ready and informing them of the discreetness of this endeavor? They are to look over their books and scrolls and dust off any pertinent equipment. For now, they can use samples taken from forest animals and livestock to hone whatever skills they’ll need. Please do this in all haste.” He gave a pointed stare at Avrin and Maggie’s clasped hands. “That is, if you can tear yourself away.”
Avrin sent Maggie a quick smile. “My fair one, by order of the king, I must remove myself from your presence. Until later.” He elegantly vacated his chair and leaned over Maggie’s hand to place a soft kiss on it.
Kenhel, not to be outdone, swept from his chair before Maggie’s hand could even return to its spot upon the armrest. He grasped her hand and brought it up to his lips, letting them linger on her skin.
Talion watched it all unfold with an impassive face, his only sign of emotion an eye roll. So he thought the two males were acting like fools over his adversary?
Cal shrugged off the thought and slid her hand into Relian’s. As his fingers enfolded hers, all the stresses of the day temporarily floated away. Things were looking up with a tentative plan in the formulation—one that might allow her to go back to Earth. Which would be fraught with its own problems. How would they explain their absence and the presence of a host of gorgeous, otherworldly guys? Yeah, better start thinking.