Silent Orchids (The Age of Alandria: Book One) (7 page)

Arileas seemed to have gone elsewhere as he recalled the prophecy. His eyes were staring ahead, but glossed over and unseeing. There was a great and heavy power when he spoke; it left Daegan with shivers racing up his spine. Daegan didn’t know how to respond, but he was not about to give away any shock or confusion at what he just heard. Emotions were a weakness. He knew there was a lot of meaning behind the words, but wasn’t sure how it involved him.  

“What the...” Hal, on the other hand, had no problem showing emotion. He abruptly stopped what he was about to say when he remembered in whose presence they were. “I beg your pardon, sir, but what does it all mean?” he asked much more respectfully.

Arileas, back to the present, smiled then and even let out a chuckle. “I was once young and feisty like you, Master Halister. Do not lose who you are as you learn to temper it, for it is one of your virtues.” Serious again, he looked at both of the warriors and said, “As for the prophecy, there is new power, or some would say new magic, that brings new power about to be revealed. It has been called the Sol-lumieth because it will carry an illumination so bright it will drive out the darkness. From what or who it comes, we do not know for certain, though there is rumor whispered into the dreams of those who dare to listen of it being someone from the human realm.” Arileas spoke with an odd expression as he slid a look of curiosity toward Daegan.

Daegan’s eyes sharpened and his fists clenched as he began to feel like this could be a joke. At the same time, Hal gasped at the very idea of a human bringing power to Alandria.
How could they?
Daegan thought.
Humans have no power!
Daegan stood abruptly and slowly made his way, following the sounds, as he didn’t fully trust his limited sight to the backside of the waterfall. 

“I don’t believe it!” Daegan ground out between his teeth, but once again he couldn’t ignore the truth he felt in the words Arileas spoke.
Maybe Maleina hadn’t heard the rumors right. She wouldn’t concern herself with a human, would she?

To his shock, it was Hal who refuted what Daegan said. “Daegan, brother, he is an Elder. He does not lie, and I feel truth in his words whether we agree with them or not. I think you do too. Plus he is old, he probably was there when the prophecy was written,” he said with a smirk in the playful way he tried to lighten the atmosphere when he was nervous. Daegan looked over at Arileas, who was clearly amused, but Hal must have realized what he said because he added, “No offense, sir.”  Arileas simply laughed heartily.

Daegan turned, seeing Hal through the veil, and then at the ancient wise man. “How does this involve us? What are you asking of us?” And in his mind he added,
of me?
 

Looking directly at Daegan like he was searching his very soul, Arileas said both audibly and in Daegan’s head at the same time, “You must find the human child. You must find the child and bring it to Alandria. Protect it, both of you. The child will have to discover the power within, but right now it is vulnerable and can still be brought into the darkness. There are those that want to use the power for their own.” Suddenly, his voice, gone solo in Daegan’s head, said,
You must keep her from them. You know what they would do, the power they wish to possess. Help her find her way as you find yours. Bring her back here to us. Everything depends on it.
 

I don’t know if I have what it takes to turn from
them
. She cannot be my responsibility. I may not even have the ability
, Daegan responded almost sadly in his head. 

 
It is your choice.
 

Arileas turned from Daegan, releasing him from the eye-lock that Daegan couldn’t break out of as the Elder tried to anchor the importance of what the prophecy was asking of him into his soul. Hal spoke up while Daegan was regaining the breath he didn’t realize he had been holding, surprising him when he simply and matter-of-factly asked, “How do we find this Sol-lumieth?” Hal shrugged when he must have felt Daegan frown over his direction even through the blindfold. Daegan had not agreed to this and it sounded like a waste of time. Hal knew this was something that they needed to discuss, which only frustrated him even more. Why did he feel so conflicted and on edge in his soul?

“Ah, Daegan will know the way. The Orchids will reveal the path to be taken.”

Again with the Orchids?
Daegan mused, but then remembered
her
. He wanted to hear that voice again. Maybe he could.

“They will begin to speak to you if you ask them,” Arileas told him directly, as if he had just read his mind. He probably had.
You have been marked, have you not?
Arileas added in his mind. Daegan instantly touched his waist, thinking of the small marking that had showed up the same time his
srontas,
marking him as Ferrishyn, was revealed. But this he had kept hidden unsure what it meant—the marking of an
orchid
.

No, it could not be
, he thought to himself, and Arileas nodded at him.

Then Arileas addressed Halister. “You, young Halister, your role will be extremely important should you awaken to realize who you are.” Hal folded his arms, a question on his face, but did not say anything. Arileas continued, “Ella will now show you out. I have divulged as much as I am able at this time. Do not think on this too long, time is failing. You must return home for Rheina’s debut, then make your decision swiftly. Until we meet again.”

And with that he stood, inclined his head, and took his leave behind the back opening before Hal could finish asking, “How do you know about Rheina’s—never mind.” He shrugged.

Having almost forgotten Ella was still there, Daegan suddenly felt her behind him untying his blindfold. He had been pitched back into darkness as soon as Arileas left the room. After she untied Hal, she began to walk out from behind the waterfall where they had entered, but then she turned and said, “Remember when you agreed to come here you were bound by your oath of secrecy to the Ehsmia. Safe journey home.” 

They followed her out from behind the waterfall, but when they turned the corner she was suddenly nowhere to be seen and they were no longer in the land hidden within the mountain. Instead, they were suddenly in the middle of a crop of NaNai standing guard, creaking as they swayed in the wind. There was nothing behind them but forest and nothing outside of the NaNai but more forest. Their horses stood there, looking at them with silent anticipation.

Looking at each other in surprise and confusion, Hal and Daegan were left with their silent thoughts of an ancient prophecy that now loomed over their heads with the promise of forever altering their lives, whether they chose to believe in it or not. Quietly, they headed home.

✾✾✾

It didn’t take them long as they had been placed closer than they knew. Just outside their village, Halister took a deep breath and turned to Daegan. “How do you want to proceed?
They
are going to want to know something,” he said, very diplomatically referring to his mother and father.  

“They are your parents, I cannot dictate to you your course of action. I can only speak for myself and even then, I have not yet decided.”

“Daegan, my brother, yes, they are my parents and I love them, but I do not agree with everything they do and I have a bad feeling about what will be done with this information.” He took a long look around them, sighing. “This goes way beyond them and our people.” Then, in an unexpected show of fealty, Hal said, “I trust your instincts with this and am prepared to follow your lead.” 

Still conflicted, Daegan responded, “I appreciate that, but it is not I who should be leading this. You are the son of our Paladin and should decide for us what is the best course of action.” Even though Daegan spoke humbly and honestly from his heart, when he looked into Hal’s eyes they both knew the truth in this case was for Daegan to take lead. So again, Daegan bowed his head, humbled by Hal’s trust and easy acceptance.

“I do not understand all that happened back there in the mountain, but I do know that the old man had words for your ears alone.” Daegan stiffened at Hal’s perception. “I respect that and trust you to make the right decision for our futures and that of Alandria.” Hal smirked, knowing that Daegan hated it when someone put him in such a position.

Daegan took a deep breath. “No pressure or anything,” He said, giving Hal a little smile to try to keep the mood light even though what Hal and the Elder were asking of him, what the Hidden People were asking of him, was going to change everything they knew for the good or the bad. 

Shifting back and forth on his saddle, Daegan could tell he was agitating Mayfield and tried to stay still. He had never been comfortable with the way that Maleina ran things. Could this be his chance to possibly do something about it for himself and others? Could he really do what needed to be done?
Protect the Sol-lumieth—the girl—and help her along her journey to unleash her power for a better Alandria. 

That didn’t sound too hard. He had played bodyguard before and if she was so powerful, she probably didn’t even really need him. He could be more of a guide. Turning to Hal, he nodded. “Let’s get home.”  

Chapter Six

Hours later, after cleaning up and resting from their journey, they were summoned, as expected, to High Court. As he walked, Daegan remembered a time when, as young boys, they had all seemed more like a family. Hal, Daegan, and Rheina would run through the grounds, talk freely at meals, and be able to casually approach the adults. All that changed when they began training with the guard. Maleina had said that Halister and Daegan were now to become men and she expected them to behave as such. Every day thereafter, she grew more rigid and more suspicious of everyone, especially Daegan. He never could understand why. As the years went by it became clear to him that his uses were becoming more important to Maleina than he himself would ever be.

He met Halister in the foyer, waiting to be granted entrance. A servant retrieved them and led them into the High Court chamber, where they were announced. 

Wren and Maleina entered from a doorway off to the side of their thrones. Maleina was as close to perfection as always, dressed flamboyantly with expensive fabrics in rich colors. Her long flaming red hair was braided and draped down below her shoulders. But in a flash, Daegan saw instead of hair, six snakes entwined, heads raised above her shoulders. He was seeing beyond the glamour he realized she had so carefully constructed. It almost broke his composure. There were three more, one encircling each wrist and the last one wrapped loosely around her neck. He blinked and they were gone. He looked at Hal, who appeared to see nothing unusual.

 After formally greeting them, Wren quickly sat down, seeming a bit wobbly on his feet, holding a glass of his favorite drink. As usual, he looked the part of a royal, dressed in a dark blue expensive velvet jacket with tails and a gray ruffled blouse.

“Welcome back, dear ones. What news might you have discovered on your journey?” Maleina asked, her words drenched in slippery sweetness. 

Daegan cleared his throat, gave a slight bow of his head, and, refocusing his mind from what he just saw, spoke. “We scoured the city looking for anything unusual and listening intently to all conversations and whisperings we could find. We heard firsthand the rumors of the Sol-lumieth. They say that it is coming from the mortal realm in the form of a human. It is rumored that the human may be vulnerable and unaware.” Daegan snuck a quick look at Hal, who stood relaxed but focused with his hands behind his back. Hal’s eyes spoke his agreement as to where Daegan was directing the conversation.

Hal looked back to Maleina. “If it is your wish, Mother, let us go to the mortal realm and find the human. If these whispers are true, we will bring this Sol-lumieth back to you.”

Hal looked quickly to Wren. “What do you think, Father?” Hal knew this would irritate Maleina, but he really wanted to know. As the years passed, he had watched his father withdraw into himself.

Maleina turned her gaze out a window, as if aloof to the present conversation. Wren looked at Hal with eyes of love and remorse. “You know me, son, I have no use for the whispers of Elves and Shifters,” he said softly with a smile as he took in the stature of these two young Ferrishyn warriors. “But you know your mother... she—” he started with a soft chuckle.

“It probably means nothing, especially if it IS
human
,” Maleina said loudly, cutting off her husband as if she’d heard nothing. Then with a calm voice, “But for the sake of our people we should look into it. It would be the wise thing to do.” Maleina rose, looking both in the eye, but folding her hands to her mouth as if thinking up a plan. “Halister, you will remain here as, Rheina’s debut party is tomorrow evening. Daegan, you will go retrieve the
human
. It is to be unharmed and brought here to us as swiftly as possible. This will be your responsibility until you return. This is my decision. Carry it out at first light.” 

With that, she walked toward them both. Stopping at Daegan, she looked briefly into his eyes with her right hand on his arm. He felt a shock, but refused to register the sting on his face. Then moving to her left, she grazed Hal’s right cheek as she kissed his left. Without another word she left the chambers.

Wren rose from his seat. Approaching Daegan, he smiled. “Be safe.” He paused, looking down for a moment, then continued. “You are the best of our kind, Daegan. I’ve never known your equal.” Then leaning into Daegan’s right ear, he whispered, “If any of this foolishness proves true, let caution guide you, my lad. It will likely mean the end of us all.” Then smiling, he turned to Hal. “My son, your sister will be so happy you are here.” Patting his shoulder, he turned and left the chamber.

Hal turned to Daegan once they got outside. “Are you all right? You flinched when Mother touched you.”