The Eden Series: The Complete Collection (39 page)

“Don’t worry, I don’t normally boil potions this late at night,” the Shaman chuckled, as if reading Aiden’s mind. “It is difficult to see properly in the dark.” Aiden looked questioningly at the blind man, before they both broke out into a soft laughter. “I understand if my blindness makes you uncomfortable, but you will get used to it.” He sat down across from Aiden, placing a tray with the teapot and two cups on the table. “I am the Shaman here in Avalon.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, sir,” replied Aiden.

“The pleasure is all mine. I have heard many things about you from the spirits, and looked forward to finally meeting you for myself. I am sure you have many questions, but first we shall have a cup of tea. My old mind doesn’t work that well without my evening tea.” Aiden took it upon himself to pour both of them a cup, then sat in silence as they sipped at the burning hot liquid. It didn’t seem to faze the old man. Aiden on the other hand, burned the top of his mouth and tongue. The Shaman let out a long, slow sigh of contentment as he placed the cup back onto the saucer. “Now,” he smiled. “Ask away.”

CHAPTER FOUR

“I don’t even know where to start,” Aiden confessed.

“Start with whatever comes to your mind first,” the old man suggested with a smile. He was sitting with ease across from Aiden. Aiden, on the other hand, felt tense and nervous. Everything was happening so quickly again. He still hadn’t managed to slow the pace of his pulse since he first landed.

“Ok,” he began slowly. “I guess, first off, I want to know what’s happened since I left? How long has it been here? Where are my friends? Why am I here again? Does anyone know that you brought me back? Am I – ”

“Whoa!” the Shaman held up his hands. “I see you have a lot of questions, and I can answer them all, just one at a time.” He took a slow sip of his tea, while Aiden sat patiently. “First, I’ll begin by telling you what has taken place since you were last here. After the battle was won – by the King’s army of course – the men from the north quickly retreated back to the mountains. We watched from our border to make sure they returned home without inflicting any more damage. The High King and his army went back to the city and began preparing for the next fight. So far there has been nothing. The north took a heavy hit because of you, and it seems to be taking longer than we expected for them to recover.” The Shaman smiled gently at Aiden, his empty eyes making it hard for Aiden to read his emotions. “I don’t think anyone expected the quick defeat of Aziz’s creatures, least of all Aziz himself. You were quite the secret weapon.”

“Uh, thank you?”

A raspy chuckle escaped his mouth. “No need to be modest my boy. You brought about a victory that was not easy. I am relieved to see that no permanent damage was done to you. We heard about the poison arrow.” The memory flew back into Aiden’s mind. He winced at the thought of the fire that had filled his veins that day. It was the first and only time in his life that he had thought he would die. “The problem the north faces now is Aziz’s condition.”

“His condition?”

“Indeed. The creation of his demon army left him weak and clinging to life. Each creature held a part of him, linking them directly to their maker. Every time you killed one, you killed a small part of the sorcerer, which caused permanent damage. I have not seen him myself, but I have heard that he looks like a walking corpse. The truth is, I’m not sure he’ll ever be able to regain the power he has lost.” He looked thoughtful for a minute before continuing. “While he finds a way to repair the damage you caused, Brutus and Callum are working on building up their men again. This is also a problem. As those savages killed and burned many of the villages and villagers on their way to central Eden, there aren’t very many men left for them to recruit.”

“So nothing has happened since I left?” Aiden asked, his voice filled with relief.

“Thankfully no, but that doesn’t mean it is over. The northern army will rebuild itself, and we all need to be ready.”

They sat in silence for a minute, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. Aiden was relieved to know that the war had ended for the time being, but the Shaman’s warning made his muscles tighten. The idea of it all beginning again meant that his friends would once more be in danger. It also made him wonder why he had been brought back now. If what the Shaman is saying is true, no one is in immediate danger, and another battle is not expected any time soon.

“How long has the north been building their forces back up?” Aiden asked.

“It has been half a year since you were last here,” he replied. “Plenty of time for them to be ready again, which is why I decided the time had come to bring you here.”

“You want me to fight again? Is there any movement from the north?”

He sat back, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Not so far, but my intuition tells me it is coming soon, and the spirits have warned me that their sights will be not on the High King and his army, but the Riders in the West.”

Spirits?
Aiden mentally shook his head. Now was not the time to ask this man to elaborate on that topic. “I guess that explains why I’m here – and not in the Capital.”

“We need you here, Aiden, or I’m afraid we won’t win.”

“But the men here are just as good! I’ve seen what one of you can do,” he argued, his mind thinking back to the skilled way Wolf fought during their training sessions, and during the battle with the north. “And your city is hidden from outsiders. What possible threat can there be?”

“There are never any certainties in life, Aiden. We cannot allow ourselves to rely solely on remaining hidden. We must still be prepared, should anything go wrong...” The old man trailed off.

“I don’t see how much help I could possibly be,” his voice came out low and rough. The familiar pain in his chest was back. It was always there when he felt like he was in over his head, or when too many people were relying on him for something. Pure panic, that’s what it was. The Shaman reached over and placed a bony hand over his.

“Never doubt your own abilities, Aiden. You are a hero in our lands, and having you fight amongst us means more than you can understand.” Aiden tried to accept that but his usual doubts remained.

“Will I be able to see my friends?”

“No!” he answered sharply. Aiden sat back in shock. The response had been quick and firm. The Shaman instantly softened his posture and face, smiling apologetically. “Pardon me, it’s just that, the Riders like to do things themselves, and frown upon help from the Capital.”

Aiden’s eyes narrowed. That didn’t make sense. Aiden never heard anyone from the Capital speak ill of the Riders, and he knew for a fact that they sent their best to the Capital to train with the King’s army. “Also,” he continued before Aiden could respond. “If what I’ve heard is correct, your friends aren’t in the Capital anyway. They are in the South.”

Aiden walked out the front door into the crisp night air. It was instantly refreshing after being inside the dark, damp cottage. The small streets were deathly quiet. He stood on the front step for a moment, admiring how clear the stars were in the west. Meeting with the Shaman had left Aiden feeling more unsure than he had when he first went in. Even though most of his questions were answered, something about the whole experience had left an odd feeling in his gut. The Shaman’s response to Aiden seeing his friends had been strange. It just didn’t add up. Why would the Shaman bring him here suddenly, and not tell anyone from the Capital? For someone who had said they didn’t want help from the High King, it seemed a bit odd that they’d bring Aiden here to help. Wasn’t he technically a member of the King’s army? Aiden shook his head. There were more questions than answers. Looking back at the Shaman’s door, he decided he’d have to investigate further. On his own. If the Shaman wouldn’t give him all the answers, he’d find someone who would.

Walking down the path, Aiden began to contemplate his decision to come back here. Since arriving home the last time, all he could think about was how much he wanted to return to Eden. He missed the land, the feel of the world that had once been unknown to him. He missed waking up and learning to fight with weapons, and riding horses while doing it. He missed being good at something, and having friends around that were encouraging and easy to be around. The problem was, while he had been at home, wishing and waiting for this, he had begun to make a better life there. He had found a sport he was good at and had finally been accepted by the other kids at his school. Now he was back in Eden, and confronted once again with the conflicts there, and he couldn’t help but wonder if the choice to return had been a good one. Did he really want to be involved in a war that ended so many lives, risked his own and those of his friends? Now they were aware of something that could kill Aiden, and so were his enemies. Much of their success in the last battle had been attributed to Aiden alone, meaning his personal enemies had grown exponentially.

The front gate squeaked as he opened it. The sound was loud in the quiet of the night. Aiden looked around nervously. A candle was still burning in the window of Hawk’s house. Walking quickly across the small road, Aiden entered the private gardens of the tribe’s leader.

“You survived!” a voice called out. Aiden jumped, looking into the dark shadows beside the house. A figure stepped out from where he had been leaning. “I thought the old man would bore you to death for sure.” The figure walked closer, until finally Aiden could see him in the moonlight. Aiden’s initial reaction was to shout out a greeting. He saw Wolf smiling at him with his usual lazy, amused look. Before he could say anything though, he quickly realized that he was mistaken. The boy looked unsettlingly like Wolf, down to the bare, muscular chest and plain brown riding pants. His hair, however, was much lighter than Wolf’s and hung a little further past his shoulders. The shape of their mouths were the same, but the newcomer was taller and wider, and his voice was a little deeper now that Aiden thought about it. He definitely wore the same amused look though, Aiden noticed.

“I’m Aiden,” he greeted, holding out his hand. The other boy shook it firmly.

“I know who you are,” he said. “So what did the old kook tell you?”

“Moose, what have I told you about referring to the Shaman like that?” Hawk’s voice boomed into the night. Aiden hadn’t even heard him open the front door, but as he turned toward the voice, he saw Hawk’s muscular body filling the small entryway. “And what have I said about jumping out of the shadows at people?”

The boy shrugged his shoulders casually – another similarity to Wolf, Aiden noted. “I was just watching out for our guest.”

Hawk let out a deep sigh that sounded like mild frustration. “Aiden this is Moose, Wolf’s older brother,” he introduced.

“Nice to meet you,” Aiden said, awkwardly.

“Why don’t you two come inside so we’re not all talking in the dark?” Hawk held open the door while Aiden stepped into the house, Moose close behind. The home was similar to the Shaman’s in its layout, except this one didn’t smell weird and was warm and inviting. A middle-aged woman stood in the kitchen, the sound of a knife chopping down quickly on food. When she noticed Aiden walk in, she looked up with a welcoming smile. Her eyes were the same pale green as Wolf’s, although she had dark hair, which made them stand out even more. Her skin was pale, unlike the men, and she had a softer, rounder face. It was obvious how striking she had been when she was younger. Aiden decided Wolf and Moose were a perfect mix of both parents.

“You must be Aiden!” she said, happily. Setting down the knife, she walked over and embraced Aiden warmly, holding him away from her after to look him over. She had mother written all over her, Aiden decided. “Wolf told us about you, but I have to say, you don’t look as skinny as he described.” A warm heat spread over Aiden’s face.

“I’ve put on some weight,” he said in a low, embarrassed voice.

Wolf’s mother smiled affectionately. “You are very handsome!” She reached out and patted his cheek after finally releasing her grip on his shoulders. “I’m Wolf’s mom, so you can either call me Mom, or if that is awkward for you, you can just call me Sunny.” Without waiting for a response, Sunny walked back into the kitchen humming a song. Hawk cleared his throat behind Aiden.

“I apologize for her ahead of time, she can be – ”

“Insane,” Moose finished for his father.

“I can hear you!” Sunny called from the kitchen.

Hawk looked at his son with a stern face. “Don’t talk about your mother that way,” he said loudly, and then winked secretly at him. “I’ll take you to your room, I’m sure you’re exhausted.”

“He has to eat first!” Sunny argued.

“The boy has been through a lot, woman! He needs some rest!”

“He also needs food!”

Moose crept up beside Aiden. “I’ll show you to your room, and then you can decide if you want to eat before sleeping. They’re going to be a while.” The two boys walked down the narrow hall that led into the back of the house, leaving the two adults to bicker over his wellbeing.

The house had a welcoming feel. The front room was the kitchen and eating area, where a large wooden table stood, similar to the Shaman’s. The sitting area had four big chairs sitting around a fireplace, which was filled with the warm glow and scent of fresh logs. The narrow hall had beautiful paintings on the wall of the mountains and lakes north of them, and one was a portrait of the family. Aiden stopped to look at that one. He recognized Wolf right away, even though he must have only been about six in the picture. Moose didn’t look much older.

“One of the local artists did that,” Moose was saying. “We had to stand like that for a whole hour. It was horrible.” Aiden smiled as he continued to look at the picture.

“How much older are you than Wolf?” he asked.

“Only a year.”

“Why didn’t you go to the Capital?”

Moose shrugged. “I’m the eldest, I have to stay here and learn to take over for my father. Plus, Wolf is a better fighter than I am, but don’t tell him I said that.”

“I wouldn’t dare, his head is big enough as it is.”