Page 45 of Wind and Water (Reign of the Witch Queen #2)
It’s good tea and I thank her. “What did you mean, Jadar? Was there trouble?”
Corell gives Jadar a hard look. “It was nothing. A small group of elves protested our coming, but once Elspeth made a public announcement that she was happy to have us here and thanked us for joining the fight against the witch queen, we’ve had no problems.”
“Was anyone harmed?” I don’t like this one bit.
When her mate doesn’t respond, Farress says, “A few bruises. The elves were from the outskirts of the city. They wouldn’t say who led them.”
“I have a good guess.” Momma’s voice is low and muttered into her teacup.
If that’s the case, the trouble should die down now that Dierdre is getting help.
“I also had some unwanted excitement last night. There was a woman who opposed my being here. She’s unstable and needs medical help.
I think she’ll get it now. I think Birdie believes she may have organized the others. Perhaps that will be the end of it.”
Jadar stands and paces. “You came here to help them. You almost died more than once, and so did Birdie. How dare anyone try to harm you within the city?”
I go to him and pat his back. “You lost friends in the same journey. How dare anyone oppose you being here?” I smile and wait for him to calm down. “There will always be those who want things to remain the same, even when that isn’t possible and the current situation is untenable.”
“Historically, that’s true.” Momma sighs and puts down her empty cup. “In our world, there are always groups who push for change and those who hold fast to the old ways. Sometimes they're right and sometimes they're wrong. This is the nature of evolution.”
An hour later, Liam steps into the clearing and the reunion continues until he says, “I’m sorry to break this up, but Wren and I have to go to the oracle with Aaran and Harper.”
I was having such a good time, I’d nearly forgotten about the stress of being brought before some group of high-up muckety-mucks.
We say our goodbyes for now and take the winding path out of the forest.
Liam takes my hand and offers Momma his arm. He leans in toward me. “I heard something from your mind when I said we had to go. What is a high-up muckety-muck?”
The outburst of laughter from Momma is a little over the top, but I can’t help laughing right along with her.
“You shouldn’t listen when you’re not invited.”
Grinning, he swings our arms as we walk. “I apologize, but will you tell me what it means?”
“People too big for their britches.” Momma is not helping.
Liam’s blank expression is priceless. “That made my understanding even worse, Birdie. Though I suspect that was the point.”
Once I get my laughter under control, I say, “It’s someone in authority who is pompous or self-important.”
While I was hoping he would say that my description is unfair to the oracle, Liam smiles and nods.
“They have cause to be self-important. They are the oracle. They live longer than even a normal elf. They possess magic and knowledge that is unique to their vows. They’ve left behind all worldly things and live within a mountain, which they never leave.
What I’ve seen of it is very comfortable, but a beautiful prison is still a prison.
Though they made the choice, I suppose.”
“Great. Now you’ve made me feel bad for something I thought. It’s not as if I said it out loud.” I try to pull my hand away.
Holding it tighter, he lifts my fingers to his lips. “We all think they’re high-up muckety-mucks, my love. I suspect they know they are, too.”
“Well then, bring them on.”
Momma says, “They never come out of the mountain and see the state of the elves they serve?”
Shaking his head, he lets out a long breath. “I’ve never seen a member of the oracle outside of their mountain, and the only way in is through a portal they control. They are removed from the lives of ordinary elves.”
“How can they advise then?” Momma’s line of questioning is not making me feel any better about the coming meeting.
Liam looks into the sky. His handsome face is made even more irresistible by a slow smile. He points. “I think your friend is back.”
Squinting, I follow the direction of his finger, and the tiny movement of Adhar among the fluffy clouds catches my eye. “Oh! She’s come back.” I send her a warm greeting through my mind.
Her craa sounds far away, but hearing it fills me with joy.
As we continue the walk toward the castle, Liam says, “To answer your question, Birdie, the queen and our family spend a great deal of time with the elves we lead. We know of their pains and pleasures. We make it our priority to not only take advice from the oracle, but to advise them in turn.”
“I’m relieved to hear that, Liam,” Momma says it in a way that reminds me of how she spoke to a student who’d given a particularly thoughtful response to a question.
Despite all that’s happened and the stress of going to see the haughty oracle, I’m happy. It’s absurd, but being with Liam fills me with the kind of joy I’ve only dreamed about. The type that many girls dream about, but few ever find.
Rather than meeting Aaran and Harper in the castle, we say goodbye to Momma and continue around the north side to a stable, though it’s the fanciest one I’ve ever been in. The floors are wooden, but the rest of the structure is stone, and the stall doors are steel.
Aaran stands an inch or two taller than Liam, and he is dwarfed by the horses, which are taller than the centaurs. He helps Harper onto a white horse, then mounts a black before spotting us and grinning. “I thought you decided not to go.”
A pair of gorgeous grays stand waiting with a groom holding the reins.
Liam stands next to one and looks at me with raised eyebrows.
I jump up with one foot on his thigh and hoist myself into the saddle. “I’m from Texas. We don’t scare easily.” I thank the groom for the reins and wait for Liam to mount.
“I hadn’t been on a horse in years when I got here. I had to learn all over again.” Harper stares at me with her mouth agape. “You look like you were born on a horse.”
“I spent a lot of time on the back of a centaur when I got here, Harper. This lovely beast has a saddle. It’s already easier.”
Impossibly, her eyes and mouth get wider. “Holy crap.”
The road to the oracle is more of a well-kept path. It would be tough for a cart or carriage to make this trip, but perhaps they’re not meant to. We don’t rush, and Aaran tells us about their journey and when they realized Venora could gain access to this continent via water.
“That’s likely why she built her obelisk in the lost lands, but it was dry where we were taken. She’s gaining strength, as is Ciaran.” Liam spits out his name.
“He nearly killed Niamh. Well, I suppose he did kill her, but Rían was able to pull her back to her body. You can imagine, he wants Ciaran dead.” Aaran doesn’t sound as if he minds the idea.
A low growl rises from Liam. His eyes narrow. “I love Rían like one of my brothers, but he’ll have to fight me for that honor.”
“I wouldn’t mind a crack at him.” Harper breaks the uncomfortable moment.
The men look at her, then grin.
“What? The guy is the worst kind of traitor. And he poked around in my head where he wasn’t welcome. He held me while Venora tortured me. I deserve a shot at him.” She sits up taller in her saddle and stares them down.
“By those standards, I should put my hat in the ring.” I give my horse a nudge to keep up.
Eyes filled with regret, Liam nods at me. “One thing is certain: Ciaran Seveline will not find justice in a courtroom.”
My heart pounds and my stomach tightens. I grip the reins too tightly, and the horse shifts until I’m nearly in the bushes. I force myself to relax and pat her neck. “Would a court here let him free after all he’s done?”
When Liam doesn’t respond, Aaran says, “It’s unlikely, but he could claim Venora had bewitched him. If that argument held, he’d likely be sent to the oracle for rehabilitation.”
There’s that growl again. Liam’s temper is far too close to the edge. “He’s not going to be rehabilitated.”
No one disagrees with him.
I open my mind and send my love through our connection.
Liam’s shoulders relax as we arrive at an archway that leads to nothing but rock.
Inside, Aaran rings a bell or something that’s tucked inside an alcove to gain us entry through a portal. I’m too focused on Liam and the diminished bloodlust he’s trying to get under his complete control to see the process for entry.
Once through the portal, we enter another chamber through heavy wooden doors. Liam and Aaran cover their left fist with their right hand and lower their chins in a kind of reverent greeting for the ten elves seated behind a high desk that wraps the circular room.
Everything is white with no adornments of any kind. All ten men and women are dressed in white robes. They stare at me, yet there’s a peacefulness about them that is reassuring. Sconces burning all around the chamber light the space.
“My brother has returned successfully.” Aaran's words are good news, but his tone is grave.
One of the oracle elves appears in front of us.
I stagger back, not expecting her to be there.
One second, she was behind the desk thing, and the next, she landed like a bright light a few feet from us.
Her dark skin gleams in the fire’s glow, her eyes are dark, and her stare is direct.
She places her hand on Liam’s forehead. “The journey was more than you expected, Liam Riordan?”
“In all ways, oracle.” He steps back from her touch and offers me his hand.
Taking it, I step next to him.
She studies me.
“This is Wren Martin. She has suffered much on our behalf.” Liam gives the information like a warning.
The oracle almost smiles, but doesn’t. “She’ll come to no harm here.”
She lifts her hand to touch my forehead the same way she touched Liam’s.
I back up.