Nature's Servant (24 page)

In the midst of those thoughts, he realised he had come to believe in something, or someone, that might be understood as
divine. It was impossible to believe in destiny without believing in a force or being behind that. It just didn’t make sense otherwise. The elementals obviously believed in something, as did Heath, and since learning to meditate and use magic, Gaspi had always been aware of a vast Source of Love that he occasionally tapped into. If he was destined to play an important part in these things, then Gaspi would just be willing and available, and that Source would have to play its part in things too.              Breathing comfortably in quiet acceptance, Gaspi opened his eyes to find Loreill hovering in front of him, looking at him with what Gaspi thought might be concern. How a face devoid of normal human expression could show emotion, he couldn’t quite define, but nevertheless, that’s what he felt from the spirit. Smiling, he reached out a hand, and Loreill eagerly wound himself around his arm and then over his shoulders, draping himself over Gaspi in his favourite position.

“I’m sorry for being rude to you earlier,” G
aspi said. He felt forgiveness radiate from Loreill, and suddenly he understood. That was how he could read emotions into Loreill’s expressions. It wasn’t that there was any change in the spirit’s features, but their bond was so strong now that they were communicating telepathically. His smile broadened even further. Suffused with warmth and contentment, he climbed out of the pool, dried off and got dressed. He knew he should go and talk to Heath before the druid went spare with worry.

…

Heath was relieved when Gaspi returned, and after he explained his change of perspective, peace was easily restored between them. They spent the afternoon performing chores around the clearing – weeding the garden, preserving fruit, curing a haunch of boar and cleaning the “indoor” portion of Heath’s tree-root house, during which time the druid finished explaining what he’d started to tell him that morning.

“The two visiting spirits are here for an important ceremony,” he said as he rubbed salt into the haunch of pork. “When you go back to Helioport, you will be accompanied by one of each type of elemental. They have been chosen from among their kind to aid you in any way they can.”

Gaspi was staggered. “But what about the pain they feel out of their element?” Gaspi asked. “I don’t think any of them will be happy in the city.”

Heath smiled warmly. “Again, I’m glad to see you are thinking about their wellbeing,” he said, “but there is a way. They need to be given a bodily form, and then the need they have for their environment will be replaced by the need for nourishment and rest like other bodily creatures. They will be able to transform from that bodily form into spirit form at will, and their needs will change with them.”

Gaspi blinked. This was turning out to be a very surprising day. “What kind of bodily form?” he asked, confused.

“That will be up to them,” Heath answered, “but they will need our help to achieve it, just as they do when we perform healings. That’s what I meant by an important ceremony.”

“Oh, okay” Gaspi said. An exciting thought occurred to him. “So the fire and air spirits will come with me, and one of the water and earth spirits too?”

Heath smiled knowingly. “Loreill will be going with you when you leave,” he said, seeing to the heart of Gaspi’s question.

Gaspi broke into the biggest grin, put two fingers between his teeth and whistled loudly. He’d never summoned Loreill that way before but the elemental came zipping out of the trees nonetheless. He soared and swooped around him joyfully, and Gaspi could feel through the bond that Loreill already knew he would be going back to Helioport with him.

Heath’s smile broadened and he shook his head in amazement. “Never seen anything like it,” he mumbled.

Gaspi was elated. Not only was he going back to Helioport with all the knowledge Heath had taught him, but Loreill was coming with him too. He’d created a quiet bond with Heath, and respected the druid immensely, but he was too closed-off for Gaspi to feel very close to. It was Loreill that had found a place in his heart. In all the anticipation of seeing Emmy again, he hadn’t taken the time to think about how much he’d miss the earth elemental, but now that he knew Loreill was coming with him, it was clear just how painful that parting would have been.

“When do we perform the ceremony?” he asked.

“The day before you leave,” Heath responded, rubbing herbs and oil into his salted meat. “Now stop playing and help me with these chores!”

Gaspi grinned, and, with just a thought, sent Loreill off into the trees.

Taurnil, Lydia and Emmy were having a drink with Everand in the Traveller’s Rest. The boys had been playing koshta again, and as it coincided with one of Taurnil’s rostered days off, he’d joined them, playing in goal for Owein’s team. As a result, Everand’s team hadn’t scored a single goal, and Owein’s team had smashed them 7 - 0. Everand’s pride was clearly still dented, and he sat among them stiffly, trying to act like he wasn’t bothered. Taurnil glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t like how uptight he got about losing, and he was even less happy about how much time he was spending with Emmy.

He wasn’t going to do anything about it unless things got out of hand, but he was keeping a close eye on things on his best friend’s behalf. Lydia had tried to talk to her about it, but apparently she didn’t think Gaspi would have a problem with it. She seemed to think that because Everand had apologised for bullying him last year, that he would welcome him into their circle of friends. Taurnil thought there was a big difference between forgiving someone and becoming best friends. Lydia agreed with him, but she said Emmy wasn’t going to listen, and that saying anything to her about it would just make her react badly.

Taurnil sighed quietly to himself. Why weren’t things ever simple? He and Lydia had sorted their differences out and things were great between them again, but it looked likely that Gaspi and Emea were heading for a collision, and there was nothing he could do about it. He found it incredibly frustrating. Gaspi was coming back in just a few days, and he didn’t want his return messed up by this.

“Come on you big lummox,” Emea said, punching Everand playfully on the arm. “You lost. Now stop sulking and lighten up will you?”

“I’m not sulking!” Everand said indignantly, but then his handsome face lost its stiffness and broke into a big smile. “Okay I might be sulking. You always know what to say to make me relax Emmy,” he said. She smiled sweetly in response, and Everand sidled a bit nearer to her. Taurnil fumed inwardly. Couldn’t she see what was happening? The jumped-up, pompous idiot was making a move on her! It was slow, and patient, but it was a move!

“Come on Lydia,” he said brusquely. “Let’s go and do that thing.”

“What thing?” she asked confusedly.

“You know, that
thing,”
he responded lamely, grabbing her by the elbow. “Sorry we’ve got to go,” he said as he dragged her from the room.

“See ya later,” Lydia called as she was extracted from the room. As soon as they were out of the Rest she rounded on him. “What was that all about?” she asked, planting her hands on her hips, her beautiful
green eyes flashing with anger.

“I just can’t watch it Lyd,” Taurnil said. “He’s coming onto her.”

“I know he is,” Lydia responded heatedly. “which is exactly why we should be in there, and not out here!”

“No,” Taurnil said firmly. “It’d be one thing if she asked for help, but she won’t listen to either of us. She’s determined to see the best in that arrogant toe-rag and refuses to see what’s right in front of her eyes. If I’m not allowed to say anything, or better still punch him out, I’m not going to sit around and watch it happen.”

“I don’t know,” Lydia said, frowning, but all the anger had gone from her voice.

“Do you think she would actually cheat on Gaspi?” Taurnil asked.

“No!” Lydia said firmly. “She loves him. She doesn’t have any real feelings for Everand, and even if she did, she’d never do that in a million years.”

“Then we’re not doing her any harm by leaving her alone with him,” Taurnil said. “If I’m around him any longer I’m going to hit him, hard.”

“Okay Taurn,” Lydia said in a small voice. “I don’t like it, but you’re probably right.”

…

“Why did they leave like that?” Emea asked, frowning at the door as if her friends were about to come back in.

“What?” Everand asked distractedly. “Oh, I dunno,” he said. “Probably had something to do.” Emea considered getting up and following them, but then thought better of it. Maybe they had something to discuss.

“Come on Emmy,” Everand said. “Let’s get a drink. You stay in the snug so we don’t lose it, and I’ll go get them.” Before she even had a chance to respond, the athletic boy had sprung out of his chair and left the snug.

After a moment’s uncertainty, she relaxed back against the cushioned bench. What harm could it do? It was as good a way to spend an afternoon as any. She played idly with the brass studs around the edge of the padded seat of the bench, running her fingers over their rounded surfaces as she let her thoughts wander. She could hardly believe that Gaspi would be back in just a few days. The time had gone so slowly at first, but the last few weeks had seemed to speed up, and now the time was almost here. She felt a thrill of excitement when she imagined seeing his face for the first time, running up to him and kissing him. Her hand stopped moving over the brass studs as she daydreamed about that amazing moment. The door burst open, causing her to jump in shock, making an unladylike squeal of fright. Everand stood framed in the doorway holding a pitcher and two glasses, grinning wildly at her.

“Bit jumpy are we?” he asked, moving into the room and letting the door swing shut behind him. He slid onto the bench besides her and poured a full measure of some dark, blood-red substance from the pitcher into both glasses. She realised that it was wine - not the watered stuff she normally drank, but the real thing.

“Rand, why didn’t you get me some watered wine?” she asked. “I don’t drink the strong stuff.”

“Oh, sorry Emmy,” he said, picking up his glass by the stem. “I’ll go get you some water if you like, but just have a sip. It’s an exquisite vintage.”

She picked her glass up and took a sip of the deep red liquid. Her whole mouth tingled as rich flavours awoke every single one of her taste buds. She took another sip, larger than the first, and marvelled at the depth of flavour as it rolled around her mouth.

“Want me to get some water?” he asked, half rising from his seat.

Emmy thought about it for a moment. “Er…no,” she said. “I’ll just drink it slowly. It tastes amazing.”

“Sure, if that’s what you want,” he said, taking his seat again.

The afternoon passed comfortably for Emmy, sipping her wine and talking about anything and everything with Everand. In the past she’d seen him as self-important, but experience had taught her that beneath that puffed-up exterior he was just a nice, normal boy, and she felt she’d got past the surface with him.

He wasn’t like Gaspi of course. Gaspi was brimming with passion, and she’d never known anyone so kind-hearted. He was complex and emotional and vulnerable all at the same time, and best of all, he was hers. But in his absence, she’d spent a lot of time with Everand, and had come to appreciate him far more than she ever would have expected. He was chatty and charming and always ready to laugh. She didn’t know how she’d have got through the last few months without him.

He flashed a particularly broad smile at her, and Emmy couldn’t help noticing how the sunlight caught in his golden hair. In an honest moment, she had to admit she found him attractive. She didn’t want anything to happen with him of course! She loved Gaspi, but that same honest moment allowed her to realise that were it not for Gaspi, she might have been interested in him. He’d never measure up to Gaspi, but in the imaginary world where she’d never met him, she wouldn’t have had him to compare other boys against, and Everand would have been a reasonable choice of boyfriend. He was a good-looking boy with hidden depths, and she got on well with him.

Realising what she was thinking about, Emmy shook her head physically to clear it, but when she stopped, the room kept on moving. Damn! She must have drunk too much wine. She’d been really careful, but she wasn’t used to the strong stuff and she’d been sipping away at it for hours. When the room stopped spinning she berated herself. What was she thinking about? Firstly she’d drunk too much and secondly she’d been entertaining silly thoughts about Everand.

She tried to stand up, intending to make her excuses and leave, but she stumbled and landed back on the seat. She threw out her hands to steady herself, accidentally placing one on Everand’s broad chest. She drew it back, apologising, but he caught it in his own strong hand.

“Emmy,” he said softly, and way too late, all the alarm bells went off in her brain.

“Everand, don’t,” she said, but suddenly he was near to her, his face close to hers.

“You must know how I feel about you,” he said breathily. “And I know how you feel about me.”

“No,” she said, trying to pull her hand away, but he had it captured tight, pulling her even nearer. She didn’t know what to do. He was holding her tight to him and looking at her so intensely she felt frightened. Before she could say anything he was kissing her, his full, fleshy lips pressed against her own. Incensed, she suddenly found her strength. Pulling away from him, she whipped her hand out from his grasp and cracked it across his face.