She sobbed. Eramus watched them for several long moments before the whispers caught his ears. His eyes darted to the horrified expressions watching him. What had he done? He'd spent his entire life hiding his secret. He'd told no one in the village about hispowers. How could he? They would have questions he wouldn't be able to answer. He knew too little about himself to provide the information they would demand.
The whispers gave way to a humming murmur. His pulse quickened. They would expect answers soon, judging by their looks of suspicion. Eramus's eyes flicked to Kieran's, and found his full of question too, but there was also a softness that reflected gratitude. Eramus had saved them, but would the act be celebrated or cursed?
There was no reason to stay. His feet moved, and within seconds, he was sprinting through the village. Eramus could feel the stares on his back, piercing him like daggers of distrust. He had acted on impulse. He had saved two people from harm, or perhaps something worse, and therefore couldn’t regret revealing his most tightly guarded secret, but fear gripped him like a nightmare he couldn't awaken from. His life had just become more complicated than he ever imagined.
Eramus ran along the central path of the village until he reached the stone cottage at the very end. He paused to give his racing heart time to calm. Pink flowers grew in little wooden boxes below the tiny window on the right side. The structure was small, but had an air of homeliness about it. This cottage was the only home he'd ever known…or at least remembered. His guardian wouldn’t be happy about today. She’d scold him until sunrise.
He released a heavy breath through his nose. Now wasn't the time to upset Inara. He needed to calm himself down first. A light breeze tousled pieces of his black hair as he made his way to the barn behind the cottage and walked inside, leaving the door ajar. The air was stuffy, but at least he could be alone here. At least there were no suspicious eyes or deafening whispers to concern himself with.
A chestnut mare shifted in the stall a few yards away. He wasn't entirely alone, but he would receive no ill treatment from the animals sheltered inside the barn. They would never view his power as strange or scary. They would not see him as something dangerous.
Eramus held out his trembling hands. With a few seconds of focus, a blue light encircled them. The aura glistened in the sunlight that percolated through the loft window, leaving him with a sense of warmth. Magic. It was the only word he could think of to describe the phenomenon. Beyond the old story, this strange power he possessed was not something he'd ever heard of anyone else having, nor did he understand where it came from. He supposed he might have been born with his ability, but even that aspect of his life was a complete mystery to him. Perhaps if he could remember his childhood, he might find the answers.
Eramus closed his eyes and willed the light surrounding his hands to evaporate. He lay down on the floor of the barn and stared up at the ceiling. He twisted a piece of scratchy straw between his fingers, and for a long time, his mind replayed the event in his head.
"You appear lost to your thoughts, Eramus."
He sat up abruptly at the sound of Inara's voice. The woman stared at him for a moment, her mouth drawn in a firm line and her brows raised high on her forehead. The scolding…it was sure to follow.
Eramus brushed the straw from his hair and pursed his lips. "I take it you heard what happened?"
She folded her arms. She'd most definitely heard.
Eramus heaved an exasperated sigh. "I know I'm not supposed to let anyone see, but Evree and her father were in danger. What was I supposed to do?"
"You're supposed to not let anyone see!" she said, tossing her hands in the air. "Do you realize what you have done? The village is in an uproar about the whole thing! I've already had several come to me, demanding answers, which I can't even give them."
"That's not my fault!"
Her face softened, leaving a pang of guilt on his heart. Inara didn't deserve to be shouted at. None of this was her fault, either. He owed a great deal to the woman who had taken in a child with no one else to turn to. "I'm sorry. I'm not upset with you. Just with myself."
Inara's dark green dress grazed the floor as she seated herself beside him on the straw. Her fingers fell onto his arm, warming it through his clothes. He met her eyes, full of sympathy and love.Love. She'd loved him for the last ten years, as if he were her own son. Although Inara had no children of her own, she was a wonderful mother to him, kind and patient, even in his many boyhood antics.
"My sweet Eramus. Your heart is far too kind. I knew one day something like this would happen. You're too compassionate not to use your gift to help others."
Hisgift. That was what she had always called it. Eramus wasn't sure the word was really appropriate. Besides, if it was a gift, Inara wouldn't insist on keeping it a secret.
"I'm sorry I let you down. This whole thing will put you under scrutiny. I wished I had thought…it all just happened so fast…" His voice cracked. He suspected the fact that Evree had been the one in danger had something to do with his quick response. His actions would cause problems for both him and Inara, but Eramus couldn't bring himself to regret what he'd done. He could never regret saving someone from harm, no matter what the implications would do to him.
Inara patted his arm. "We will be fine. I knew it was bound to happen, eventually. If the people had to find out about your gift, an act of heroism isn't the worst scenario for the discovery. I do not worry about myself, but for how they will treat you. I can't fathom someone hurting you, Eramus."
His eyes stung. Inara wrapped her petite arms around his shoulders and pulled him against her chest. She was a tiny woman, and Eramus had outgrown the ability to crawl into her lap a long time ago, but she managed to comfort him all the same.
Her fingers rubbed in circles on his back. Eramus could remember nothing about his actual mother, but he imagined this was what it would be like to feel her love, to feel safe in her arms. "Everything will work out, my dear. What is life if not a bit complicated?"
Eramus chuckled at the amusement in her tone. "Complicated or not, I'm happy that I have you to share it with. Without you, I would be lost."
She took his head between her hands and lifted it to look into his eyes. "It is I who would be lost, dear. You've given me purpose all these years. You know I love you."
A smile tugged at his lips. He knew. He could never repay Inara for everything she had done. All he could give her was his smile and the words that warmed him to the depth of his soul. "I love you, too."
The barn darkened. Eramus glanced towards the tall figure standing in the door frame, their face shadowed but not enough to keep their identity unknown. He and Inara rose simultaneously.
“Arnan,” said his mother. “What a lovely surprise. Have you come for a visit?”
The man took a step into the barn, his expression becoming fully visible. The sternness in his voice made Eramus’s heart pound. “You know why I’m here. I intend to call a meeting, and I expect you to come. I’ll send word when we are ready.”
He didn’t wait for a reply, disappearing back into the open air and out of sight.
“Oh, my,” Inara whispered.
Eramus’s gaze remained fixed on the entry. This was it; his people would demand answers. How much of his ignorance they would accept, he couldn’t say. He had no choice but to attend the meeting and hope the outcome would notdestroy everything he held dear.
