My life in this cage of pain, my soul’s other half
I am not free to touch her, to protect her
Though we are one
My love, my child, my daughter
My gift to the world, my gift from the gods
I am not free to hold her, to know her
Though she is the one to save my people
To end my torment
The Torment of Lord Death,
by Shannisorran v’En Celay
“What’s wrong?” Rain frowned at Ellysetta as she rose to her feet and stepped away from the blue phosphorescent glow of the mirror pool. “Have you changed your mind about trying to See your Song in the pool after all?”
She stopped in surprise. “But…I already did.” She looked to Hawksheart, then back at Rain. “We’ve been at it for bells.”
Rain’s brows shot up to his hairline. “Nei, you knelt at the water’s edge, touched the surface for no more than a moment or two, and stood up again.” Behind him, her quintet nodded in agreement.
All eyes turned to Hawksheart.
The Elf spread his hands. “You both are correct. Your truemate and I did, in fact, journey long and far, through a thousand different variations of her Song, though to you, our travels would have passed in the blink of an eye.”
“I don’t understand.”
“The mirror is Elvish magic. Like the Faering Mists, what happens within the mirror exists outside of time. The only difference is that with the mirror, the Seer’s body remains in this world and only the Seer’s soul takes the journey.”
Rain bristled instantly. “You said nothing about Ellysetta’s soul leaving her body when she touched the mirror.” He knew that was what happened when she entered the Well of Souls to save a life. But he also knew she needed to anchor herself before attempting such a thing, and she had not anchored herself before touching the mirror.
“She was in no danger. I was with her.”
Rain kept his gaze pinned on Hawksheart’s face, but he sent a tender weave of Spirit to Ellysetta, warm with love and concern. «Are you all right, shei’tani?» His hand lifted in silent invitation. She put her fingers in his and he pulled her to the protective safety of his side.
«I am fine,» she assured him.
He did not relax until he verified that for himself. His senses stroked hers like a dozen small caresses, probing for signs of distress. When he found none, the tension bristling through him eased a notch. “And did you find what you were looking for, Lord Galad?”
“Many things became clearer,” the Elf king hedged. “Which verses of her Song will come to pass, I cannot say.”
Rain had no patience for Elvish evasions. “What did you see,shei’tani?”
“I…” Ellysetta frowned. “I don’t remember. A moment ago, I thought I did, but now…”
Rain’s temper soared. He turned narrowed eyes on the Elf king. “You stole her memories of what she Saw?”
“If I cannot tell you the future for fear of changing it, I certainly couldn’t let her See it and remember.”
«I hate the scorching Elves,» Gil muttered darkly on the Warriors’ Path. «They may See a million futures, but they’re flaming useless in the present. They never give a straight answer when a misdirection or evasion will do.»
Rain shared Gil’s sentiments wholeheartedly. The Fey could dance the blade’s edge of truth with the best of them, but that didn’t mean they liked having the same done to them. Especially not by some two-legged, pointy-eared tree rat.
When buying apples from an Elf, look carefully for the worms.The caution his father had whispered to him more than once now made perfect sense. His mother had always had a soft spot for her Elvish friends, but his father had never viewed them so kindly.Never trust an Elf, unless you have no choice. And even then don’t trust him much.
