The Crystal Bridge (The Lost Shards Book 1) (26 page)

Hasla slipped in without a sound and stood behind him. “What do you seek out the window, human?”

Kaden jumped and tipped a plate of berries to the floor. They rolled and bounced on the smooth polished white floor. “You, I was keeping an eye out for you.”

“Ah. Not a very good eye then.”

Kaden turned, prepared to say something sarcastic, but her expression stopped him. Keitane were hard to read. Their faces didn’t bend the same way human faces would and they kept their emotions deep. Kaden saw something there though, not hidden.
Could be surprise, awe, fear. I can’t tell
. “Oh no! Tell me Evandrel’s alright.”

She cocked her head to the side much the same way Evandrel did when Kaden surprised him with a bit of logic or a new word. “You care for him?”

“I guess so.”

“As do I. Not something I expected to have in common with you. He is alive. He has passed the trials.” She shook her head. “He has done more than that. He has done something that has not been done for generations.”

Kaden opened his mouth to ask, but Hasla laid a delicate finger on his lips. “Shhh. I cannot say more. I am oathbound to the sacred secrets of my order. Now is your turn to meet with the Elders and see if you can do as well as Evandrel. Come.”

She led him down the lace walkway and then through the winding red highways the Sidra A’Keitane preferred to straight lines. The red ground cover gave way to polished gray stone. The trees grew taller and leaned in above them, whispering secrets on the wind as the pair passed below. Kaden shivered, but kept walking as the beautiful silken homes and ivory-like arches fell behind them. The forest felt more alive, denser. Kaden could feel the creaks of ancient trees as much as hear them.

“You are about to enter a sacred place, Kaden. You are very lucky to be allowed such a courtesy and live, though I do not pretend you may live long. Treat the Grove and all those you meet within with respect.”

Kaden nodded and swallowed. The effects of the honeysuckle wine had bolstered his courage, but now he wished he’d had more.
A lot more.
They came to an archway between two trees, the stone carvings stained with time, the images smoothed to unrecognizable bumps and grooves by more seasons than Kaden could count.

“Remember my words. Respect this place.”

Kaden nodded again. He didn’t have words.

The trees loomed above him like sentinels. He thought they watched him, judged him. As he and Hasla stepped through the archway together, Kaden felt an electrical power around him
,
raising the hairs on his arms and neck for a second before he passed through.

An elderly Keitane woman stepped out of the darkness to meet them. She waved a hand and sang a brief chord. Light flickered to life as she did so, bathing the clearing in blue light. Kaden looked for the orbs he’d seen many elves using, but found the forest itself glowed. “Wow.”

The elderly woman cackled loudly, but when she spoke her voice sounded crisp and young despite her wrinkles. “Wow indeed. That is a good word. I am Thyra so’a Amara, the Eldest. Welcome to the Grove, young human.” She turned and beckoned them to walk with her. She leaned on Kaden’s shoulder as she walked and smiled down at him. “Evandrel has been telling us much about you.”

“All good I hope.” Kaden kicked himself for the clichéd sarcastic answer as soon as it came out of his lips, but Thyra laughed again.

“Good for you, but not for our world I think.” She winked at him. “Means you get to live at least. That is usually good news.”

Kaden nodded. “Yes. I’m glad Evandrel convinced you of that at least.”

“His actions convinced us to listen and his words convinced us to action. He killed a shadow tonight. Did Hasla tell you?”

“No. She said she couldn’t. Wait, he killed a what?”

“Ah. Good for you, Hasla, but the child is a part of this now and, if what Evandrel says is true, he is a Light Bringer in his own right, the original Light Bringer.” The Eldest smiled down at Kaden again. “Evandrel killed a shadow, which has not been done in a very long time. The light Evandrel made was powerful, more powerful than any I have seen and I have seen many in my time.”

Thyra stopped walking and gestured to a dark patch of ground and a twisted black sculpture beyond it. A scorched electrical smell rose from the spot, overpowering the scents of fresh mint and rain that permeated the Grove. “There lies what remains of the shadow. I did not think they could be killed by mortals, just herded back into the darkness where they thrive.”

The woman stared at Kaden as though awaiting a response. Kaden stared back while Hasla shifted her weight back and forth from foot to foot as though nervous.

Kaden shrugged. “I’m glad Evan did better than anyone else, but I don’t really know anything about these shadows or Light Bringers.”

The Eldest smiled and patted his head, reminding Kaden of his grandmother. “And yet Evan, as you call him, tells us that you helped him do it.” She waved at the dark pile of ash once more.

“Me? What? How?”

The Eldest took a step back. Hasla did the same as the old woman spoke again. “It is time we answer some of those questions. Show me your Egg, Kaden.”

Kaden nodded. He’d expected them to want to see it. He opened the golden glow of his Egg and looked through the translucent wall to the two Keitane women.

Hasla took several more steps back. The Eldest held her ground as her smile deepened and her eyes twinkled in the golden light. Other Keitane, men and women, including Evandrel, stepped from the shadowy forest to stand in the warm glow.

The Eldest raised a staff Kaden hadn’t noticed her carrying and addressed them all. Her voice rang through the night and the trees picked up high harmonies that swirled away for miles. “It is true. Cathal the Prophet has returned to us.”

“What?” Kaden let the Egg close down. Many of the Keitane, including Hasla, actually shuddered as the light went out.

“You are Cathal, Prophet and Lord of all Ealdar. You have dominion over Sidra, Dwaro, humanity, and all the lesser races. Welcome home.”

“What are you talking about?” Kaden’s knees shook and he felt lost in a turbulent sea as great waves of confusion crashed around him. He only hoped to stay afloat and ride the waves long enough to find Aren. “I don’t know what Evan’s been telling you, but I’m no prophet or lord of anything. I don’t even have a puppy.”

Thyra turned to him. “The Sidra, all the tribes, have long awaited your return, Cathal. We have prepared and followed your instructions, bringing light into the world to offset the darkness. The Spirit of Ealdar warned us you would arrive broken, without memory. Thousands of generations have returned to dust since you saved us all, since we first followed you across the Crystal Bridge, young Cathal.”

Kaden staggered back. “I don’t think you know who I am. I didn’t save anyone.”

“I know exactly who you are, Kaden. You are a lost child who has come to us searching for yourself as much as you search for the girl you misplaced. You will go to the Ancients. They will awaken your memory and reunite you with your beloved Esha’na the Prophetess.”

“What? Do you mean Aren? What’s going on?”

Evandrel stepped forward and put a hand on Kaden’s shoulder. “Calm, my friend. I will explain much as we travel.” He then turned to the Eldest. “I ask to go with him as guardian and protector.”

The old woman nodded. “It is only fitting that the one who discovered Cathal should aid him as he becomes himself once more.”

Hasla stepped forward too and raised an uncertain eyebrow at Kaden. “I will also go with the hu…Prophet.”

Kaden could do nothing but stand there, mouth open as he shook his head over and over again.

The Eldest pointed her staff at Hasla and the young Keitane woman flinched. “You still doubt the boy, but volunteer to protect him?”

“Yes…and the one he travels with.”

The Eldest’s eyes softened. “Go and become a witness for those who share your disbelief, for there are many.” Several of those gathered Keitane nodded or glanced down.

Hasla bowed. “Thank you, Thyra.”

The Eldest nodded approval and then turned to the crowd. “Dangerous times are upon us. The Tyninians have left their self-assumed exile. We will take the Cloak of the Prophet, as Evandrel has, and create our weapons. Rho is awakening, but we have defeated him before. We will defeat him again. We are Light Bringers!” The tip of her staff burst to light, emitting a bright blue glow, but a golden glow grew beneath this, swirling and dancing much like Kaden’s Egg. “We have the light of the Prophets to aid us!”

The trip back to the clearing felt shorter. Aren and Dveldor took just over a day to make the trek. She was certain he must have chosen some shortcut, but Dveldor denied it.

“The way back always feels shorter because now you know it.”

“I guess that’s true. The larger lantern helps too.”

“Yes. I thought you might like that.”

They stepped out into open air. Aren looked upward at the crystal clear sky full of stars and the swirling nebula. Night fell earlier than she expected. Being in the caverns for several days had completely thrown off her rhythms.
Don’t forget the
wormhole lag
.

“Kaden!” A dark form huddled in the desk. She ran to him, but discovered that the night had deceived her. A backpack sat in the desk. “Did I leave this here?”

“No, it was over there when we left. Looks like your friend has returned.”

“Anyone could have moved the bag.”

“Yes, but they would have kept it and not left you a note.”

“What?” She picked up the backpack and looked it over.
Nothing pinned to it
.

“Here, on the desk.” Dveldor ran a hand over what remained of the plastic desktop. A note had been hastily scrawled in ink. He held up his lantern so Aren could see it.

“Aren. Couldn’t follow you. Had to go with Evandrel, a Keitane, like an elf. Will come back for you when I can. Stay safe. Kaden.” Aren’s voice shook as she read it.

Dveldor nodded his head. “Smart. It would not have been good to follow. We are lucky enough the Keeper didn’t execute you. Another human in Dunfaa? We are very lucky. It is also not safe to defy one of the Sidra. They’re very powerful.”

“Sidra? It says Keitane.”

“Yes, sorry. There are three tribes of Sidra. Keitane is one.”

“Oh. Can we follow him?”

Dveldor frowned. “No, I think not. No one can track a Keitane through the forest. Most likely he went home to Ha’Freyne, but we cannot be certain. We wouldn’t be welcome without an invitation.”

“What if we were to invite ourselves?”

“I don’t understand. How could we do so?”

Aren smiled. Dveldor had begun picking up her contractions. He’d be speaking as well as she in a few more days. “I have an idea, but I’ll need another audience with the Keeper.”