The Fourteenth Key (The Chronicles of Terah Book 3) (21 page)

“Why?”

“I have a feeling she’ll have to stand in the surf to find her connection, and unless Glendymere takes us someplace warm, she’s going to be full of complaints.”

“Then tell him to take you somewhere warm, and where the water’s warm, too.”

Rhianna frowned. “I can’t tell him something like that. It would be … I don’t know … disrespectful.”

Chris laughed. “No it wouldn’t. He’s a dragon. I doubt he’s ever been cold in his life. No, this is exactly the type of thing you need to do. She can’t concentrate on what he wants her to do if all she can think about is how cold she is. You need to speak up. He won’t get upset with you.”

Rhianna didn’t look convinced.

“Look, anything you can do to make her environment better, do it. I made them put in a stove so I could make coffee. Glendymere would never have thought of that, but it made a big difference to Kevin. And don’t let her stay on one thing too long, switch things around, go back to stuff from last week, last month, and make her take breaks, lots of breaks.”

Rhianna laughed. “I know why Glendymere thought we should talk. I’ve wanted to do some of those things but I thought I was sticking my nose in, being presumptuous.”

Chris shook his head. “You have to look at it like you’re in charge.”

“No, I’m not,” Rhianna said, shaking her head.

“Not of what she has to learn. Glendymere’s in charge of that, but you’re in charge of where, when, and how. If you think she needs a break, say so. If he can tell she’s on the verge of a breakthrough, he’ll say no, but otherwise, he’ll be fine with it. Just don’t take it as a criticism when he overrules you. It isn’t. He knows more about what’s in her head at that precise moment than you do.” Then Chris laughed. “And if he ever, ever says he wants to work with Landis by herself and you can take the morning or afternoon off, grab it and don’t look back.”

“Does that happen often?”

“Right offhand, I only remember it happening once, but we were in a push. Kevin had a deadline. Landis doesn’t, so you may get more breaks.”

“Speaking of breaks, I think Landis needs a few days away from here, away from all of this, to figure things out. Any chance of that happening?”

Chris frowned. “Hasn’t Kevin taken you back to Crinsor Run a few times?”

Rhianna nodded. “But we’re only there for one night. We get there late Saturday afternoon, right before dinner. Everyone comes to the house for dinner, and I do mean everyone, and then we come back Sunday morning after Myron finishes his workout with Glendymere. It’s nice, but it doesn’t give us much free time, and I think she needs some time to herself right now.”

“Tell Kevin Landis needs to step away from all of this and figure out what she wants to do. He’ll understand. Why don’t you go home Thursday evening and stay until Sunday evening? That would give you time for the family and for yourselves.”

Rhianna frowned. “Any particular reason you chose those times?”

“I know his schedule. Right now those times are free.”

“Guess I need to talk to Landis first, and then Glendymere, before I say anything to Myron.”

“Checking with Glendymere is a good idea, but just tell Landis. We had an old saying back where I came from. ‘It’s easier to ask forgiveness than to get permission.’ If you ask Landis, she may come up with a dozen reasons why she can’t go, but if it’s already arranged, the worst that can happen is she’ll fuss and say you should have checked with her first.”

Rhianna laughed.

“And when that happens,” Chris continued, “tell her you will the next time, and then ignore her. When she needs another break, set it up, and then tell her. When she reminds you that you were supposed to clear it with her first, tell her there wasn’t time, you had to ask Kevin while he was here.”

“You’re saying I should do what I think is best, as if she were a child?”

Chris nodded. “Kevin was so focused on the magic I’d have to remind him to eat, to put on his coat, to get some sleep … just like looking after a child, and if you throw those mood swings in there, it’s like looking after a two-year-old, but don’t ever tell Kevin I said that.”

Rhianna laughed again. “I guess we need to head back.”

Chris stood up. “Glendymere can be a good ally in this thing. When you have concerns, he’s a good listener.”

“He is that,” Rhianna agreed. “It was his idea that I talk to you.”

“Has it helped?”

“More than you know.”

“Well, if you ever want to talk again, let Glendymere know. He’ll set it up.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Chris and Rhianna were back in Willow Canyon when Glendymere and Kevin returned from the canyon lands. Chris elbowed Rhianna and nodded towards Glendymere.

Glendymere looked at Rhianna, but when she didn’t say anything, he tilted his head and said,
“Yes?”

Rhianna cut her eyes at Chris, then looked back at Glendymere, took a deep breath, and said, “I think Landis needs to get away for a few days and figure out what she wants to do. I’d like for Myron to take us to Crinsor Run Thursday evening and then pick us up Sunday evening.”

“You think three days will be sufficient?”
Glendymere asked.

“I’m not sure,” Rhianna admitted, “but she’s floundering right now. She hasn’t really committed to this yet.”

“And why do you think that is?”

“She knows everyone expects her to be a sorcerer, but she’s not sure she wants to be one. I don’t think she had any idea how hard it’s going to be, or how long it’s going to take.” Rhianna glanced towards Kevin. “All she knew about becoming a sorcerer was Myron did it in less than a year. I think she figured a year, maybe two since she’s not part elf, then fight Rolan to avenge her father’s death and get on with the rest of her life. I don’t think she ever expected being a sorcerer to become her whole life.”

Glendymere nodded.
“I agree. She needs to figure out what she wants, but back to my question. Do you think she’ll get it figured out in three days?”

Rhianna shook her head no. “But I hope three days will be long enough for her to figure out what the problem is.”

Glendymere turned towards Kevin.
“Can you take them home Thursday? And pick them up Sunday?”

Kevin looked at Chris, and when Chris nodded, he said, “Sure. No problem. Would 5:00 be all right?”

When Rhianna nodded, Glendymere said,
“Good. That’s settled. Chris, what are you going to do while Myron works with Rhianna?”

“I thought I’d go up and say hello to Blalick and Ashni.”

“Good. I’m going to take a nap.”

~ ~ ~ ~

After Chris and Glendymere left, Rhianna turned to Kevin. “We don’t have to do this. If we’re going home next weekend, my father can show me how to make the wind blow.”

“I know, but Glendymere asked me to do it,” Kevin said as he walked towards a willow tree on the bank of the stream. He was nervous, but it wasn’t as bad as he’d expected. “He’ll want you to do more than stir up the wind. You’ll need to make storms for her to work with too, maybe even a tornado.”

“And you’re going to teach me how to do that?”

“I’ll try.” Kevin pointed to the willow tree. “I want you to join with the breeze from the stream and use it to make the limbs on that tree move.”

“What breeze?” Rhianna asked. “There isn’t any breeze.”

“It’s there, but you have to search for it. Close your eyes and open your mind.”

Rhianna looked at him like he was nuts, but when he raised his eyebrows, she folded her arms and closed her eyes. After a few minutes, she felt the faintest of breezes, like a butterfly fluttering near her face. It was a breath, barely felt, but it was there. Without opening her eyes, she said, “I’ve found it. Now what do I do with it?”

“Join with it.” Kevin said, feeling more relaxed. Maybe he’d be okay as long as he kept his focus off the elf and on the magic. “Picture yourself floating on it. Once you’ve joined it, open your eyes and guide it to the tree.”

A couple of minutes later, Rhianna opened her eyes, then frowned.

“What happened?” Kevin asked.

“Nothing. I felt like I was floating, but as soon as I opened my eyes, it was gone. I can’t feel the breeze anymore. It just stopped.”

Kevin frowned. “With your connection with nature, I figured you probably played with the wind as a child.”

“Why? You’re part elf. Did you?”

“Well, no, but I didn’t know I could.”

“And neither did I.”

“But you spent your entire life around elves. Surely, at some point, someone used the wind to either stir up a rain storm or calm a rough one down.”

“They may have, but they didn’t do it around me.” Rhianna thought for a moment. “Come to think of it, whenever there was a bad storm, Landis and I were sent inside, and most of the time, right after we went in, things did settle a bit. I hadn’t connected the two before.”

“Wonder why they didn’t let you watch what they were doing,” Kevin said thoughtfully. “Maybe for the same reason young sorcerers aren’t allowed to watch magic when it’s being used.”

“Probably. If I’d known I could play with the wind, I’d have tried to see what I could do with it.”

Kevin laughed. “I can picture it now. You, in your Mom’s garden, with all those flowers and shrubs, stirring up whirlwinds.”

Rhianna shook her head. “That wouldn’t have happened. I knew better than mess with her gardens.”

Kevin tilted his head towards the stream. “Try it again, but play around in the breeze this time, get comfortable with it, get to know it before you open your eyes.”

Rhianna wrinkled her forehead. “Do you know how crazy that sounds?”

Kevin grinned. “Try it anyway.”

Rhianna took a deep breath, closed her eyes, relaxed her mind and body, and reached out to find the breeze again. Once she had it, she pictured herself floating on it. After a while, she felt like she really was floating.

Kevin watched her carefully, and saw a hint of a smile tease her lips. He started to tell her she had it, but was afraid the sound of his voice would break her connection so he decided to give her a few minutes to have fun with it.

Rhianna let herself drift with the breeze, enjoying the freedom of flying. She felt like she was a bird, drifting up with one current and down with another, racing ahead, diving towards the ground, catching an updraft and shooting skywards. She was playing, and having a wonderful time.

Then she heard Myron’s voice, faint, as if it was far away, calling her back. She tried to ignore him, but he became more and more insistent. Finally she sighed in exasperation and opened her eyes. “What?” she snapped. “I was doing what you told me to. Why did you interrupt me?”

“Well, you’ve been playing for about half an hour. I didn’t want you to get too far away the first time.”

Rhianna’s mouth dropped open. “Half an hour? Really?”

Kevin nodded. “You lose track of time when you’re off like that. I know. The first time I joined with a thunderstorm I was gone longer than that, but I could have sworn it was only a few minutes.”

Rhianna shook her head, but then a slow smile spread across her face. “That was fun. I had no idea I could do that.”

“Just don’t do it when you’re by yourself until you’re used to it.”

“Why not?”

“It would be too easy to stay with the wind and not come back. I’m not sure what would happen. I imagine you’d get tired eventually and have to sleep, and that would bring you back, but in the meantime, you wouldn’t know what was going on around you. You could be in danger and not realize it.”

Rhianna frowned. “What danger? No one’s out to kill me.”

“As far as you know. But Landis is in danger, and because of your connection with her, you might be a target, too.”

Rhianna shook her head. “I don’t think so. Killing me wouldn’t stop her. It wouldn’t do anything except upset my parents.”

“It would do a great deal more than that, but I was thinking more along the lines of natural dangers. A flash flood, a forest fire, something like that.”

“Oh.” Rhianna glanced at the walls of the canyon. “I see what you mean.”

“Even with as much practice as I’ve had, I don’t join with the wind unless Chris is beside me.” Kevin grinned. “Or at least those are my orders.”

“Chris?”

“And Glendymere.”

“All right. Now that I can join with the breeze, what comes next?”

Kevin nodded. “This time, you need to split your focus. Part of you stays with the wind. The other part has to stay grounded. Try it again, but this time, try to see the tree, the rocks, the stream, me, everything in the canyon. You won’t feel as free, and you can’t play like you were doing last time, but if you’re going to do anything with the wind, you have to be grounded.”

Rhianna nodded and closed her eyes. After a moment, she was floating on the breeze again. She tried to keep that feeling as she opened her eyes, but it didn’t work. As soon as her eyes opened, the floating feeling was gone, and so was her connection with the wind. She shook her head to let Kevin know it hadn’t worked.

“Okay. It takes time to get it. But we can’t do anything else until you can do that, so I guess we’ll stop for today. Practice joining with the wind and staying grounded until you can do it. Things will get easier then.”

“Now I know how Landis feels. This having to master one thing before you move on is frustrating.”

“Oh, yeah,” Kevin agreed. “Frustrating is an understatement. Be sure you have someone else with you. It doesn’t matter who, but tell them not to let you play more than fifteen minutes before they call you back.”

Rhianna started to protest, but Kevin held up his hand. “Fifteen minutes is long enough to connect and try to split your focus, which is what you’re supposed to be doing. Now, do you want to go back up to Wildcat Mountain?”

Rhianna nodded.

“Stand beside me and I’ll fly us both up there.”

“You’re not going to drop me, are you?” she asked as she stepped beside him.

Kevin laughed. “You sound like Chris. Don’t worry, I’ve been doing this for a while now.”

“Is Landis going to be able to do this?”

“If she decides to become a sorcerer, yes.”