Call of Sunteri (Keepers of the Wellsprings Book 2) (41 page)

“It makes no difference,” Jacek sneers. He seems undeterred by the blood from the two wounds Tib inflicted seeping through his black robes. His eyes are wild and determined as he raises his hands to cast again and the shield ward shimmers around him. Tib breaks Shoel’s hold and charges, his dagger raised mid-strike as Jacek casts again. This time a globe of flames shoots from his hands and blasts Tib straight through the chest. Saesa and I scream but Tib only laughs.

“I thought Sorcerers were supposed to be smart,” he says. “How many times are you going to try to blast me before you figure out it doesn’t actually do anything?” He smoothes his vest where the flame ball struck. It isn’t even singed.

“There are ways around that,” Jacek whispers. “You have a thing against roots, don’t you? A fear. I remember. It’s such a simple spell. It’s almost child’s play.”

Jacek swirls his fingers toward a nearby tree and a thunderous splintering and crackling fills the air as the roots break free of the earth and shoot toward Tib. He tries to run away but they catch him and bind him and squeeze him until he’s gasping for breath. Saesa rushes to hack at the bindings but Jacek flicks a finger and the earth before her shakes and rumbles and forms itself into a man that drives a rocky fist at her.

“Thank you for the reminder,” Jacek smirks. “I’d forgotten about these mundane spells. You are a master of them, aren’t you, Rian? I’ve fought one of yours before. Glass. So fragile.”

Jacek casts again and the trees crack from their foundations. Trunks split into legs and arms. Chunks of earth and stone form immense creatures with enormous fists. Water swirls from the pool and forms a dozen crystalline figures. Golems. They plunge toward Rian and me, splashing and gurgling. I draw my sword and ready myself as Rian’s shields bolster us.

“Elementals,” Valenor murmurs. “Think opposites.”

All around us is chaos. Tib is turning blue as he’s squeezed by the roots. Saesa and the elves hack at a dozen giant tree-men who lash and stab with their branches. One strike catches Shoel under the arm and flings him away. Another stabs a ragged splinter into Saesa’s thigh. Above us, the cygnets circle and cry out eerily. The elves pause in their battle and look up.

“We’re needed at the wall,” Zevlain shouts.

“No, it’s a trick,” says Julini.

“Let’s just kill one Sorcerer,” Shoel grunts, eyeing Jacek, “then we’ll go and check.” They bolster themselves and try to force their way through the mass of moving trees to get to Jacek, but they’re thrown back again. I hear a rustle in the woods and see Donal and Dacva push through the brush into the clearing.

Another sound emanates from the woods around us. Mya’s song of Strength. It fills me up just in time to slash at the water creature that has finally driven itself through the shields with the force of a rogue wave.

“Air,” whispers Rian beside me. He shouts a spell and a cyclone of wind bursts forth from him. It catches the water in its grips and sends it spraying in all directions. Elliot charges through the ferns and spins a kick at another of the water elementals, splashing it into raindrops.

Raefe and Evelei narrowly escape being crushed by a stalking birch. He deposits her into the safety of the ferns and creeps around toward Tib, who is still fighting for breath. Valenor leaves our side to hide her away, and I’m left feeling suddenly vulnerable.

I have no time to fret, though. Three more water elementals surge toward us. Rian calls another cyclone to spin at them but I can tell he’s growing tired. A battle this heated is taxing for a Mage, and he was already exhausted when he arrived. I find myself wishing for Uncle and wondering why he hasn’t arrived yet.

Valenor’s mantle billows out over all of us and suddenly I feel refreshed and empowered, as though I’ve had the most perfect night’s sleep and I can face anything. Finally, I find the strength to draw my sword. Beside me, Rian squares his shoulders and casts again. Across the way, the elves and the others fight harder. Even Tib gets a little color back. Still, the roots are relentless and I realize that he’s too defeated even to panic at this point.

“Come on,” I call to Rian, who stays close to me as I rush to Tib.

“Opposites. Fire.” I say to Rian as I slam my blade into the thickest root.

“It’d burn him too,” Rian spins and casts another wind gust at an approaching water elemental.

“He’s immune,” I say.

“To magical fire,” Rian flings a spell mid-sentence as I hack again at Tib’s captor. “Once it catches on the wood, it’s not magic anymore.”

“
I’ll be right back
,” Flitt pushes to me. I nod.

I swing again and take another chunk out of the root, but it’s too slow. By the time I’m through even this one, Tib will have suffocated for sure. I glance up at him. He’s turning blue again.

“How, then?” I growl as I hack in anger. All around us, the trees and the earth and the water pommel our allies. Saesa is sprawled on the ground nearby. Shoel and his companions are bloodied, but still determined to get through the line to Jacek.

“Kill the spell caster,” Rian narrows his eyes. Beside us, Elliot takes out two waters and an earth, punching and kicking until he’s soaked and muddy. He drives on toward the trees, but a false step and a lucky swing by a branch sends him soaring over us. He lands with a sickening thud in the ferns beside Valenor.

“Da!” Rian screams and stretches his hands out before him. Shards of glass spray from his palms, shooting toward Jacek in a blur. Two of the elves fall as we’re swarmed by trees and stone and water. Beside us, Tib’s breath goes ragged and frantic. The third elf falls. There’s no one left but Rian and me. Even Mya’s song has ended. Valenor’s influence stretches over the area, doing all he can. Protecting. Bolstering. Convincing us that we still have a chance.

A rock being swings its fist at me and I duck, but Rian is right behind me and he takes the full blow. I scream as he crumples to the ground. When I swing my sword, the strike against the stone jars my arms. There’s no time to check on my love. The attack is relentless. As I swing again and again, I peer through cracks toward the Sorcerer who stands undisturbed and grinning as he surveys his near-victory. His shields are down. If only I could reach him. One more blow would end his life.

Valenor’s cloak flicks out to the fallen. He’s trying to keep them alive, somehow. I know it. It’s all he can do to help.

There is no way, though. I’m the only one still on my feet, and my opponents are too many. Beside me, the roots crack and move. I imagine them constricting, crushing poor Tib. He doesn’t make a sound, though. He hasn’t for a while. I want to look, to check on him, but I can’t risk it. I force myself to keep fighting.

Trees and stone and water bear down on me, but suddenly I’m not alone anymore. A gust of wind as strong as a storm blows the water golems back, bursting them into droplets. At first I think it’s Rian, but he’s still lying behind me in the grass. Then I see a glint of iridescent green hovering beside me and feel the winds die down.

“Ha, no match for me, are they?” Shush whispers hurriedly. “Swing, Azi! I’ve got the water ones, no worries.”

“And I’ve got these,” Twig pops up on the other side of me. He shakes a scolding finger at the trees that crackle and bear down, and they settle where they are and stretch their branches up to the sky. “Good girls,” he says with a quick nod. “And you, stay still,” he says to the rock golems. Grass and roots spring up around them, covering them, holding them, breaking them down to earth again. Of course. Twig is an earth fairy.

“Get Tib,” I call to him, “He’s in the roots!” There’s no time to hear his reply. More water golems come. Shush makes a cyclone to break them apart. The force of it crashes into the trees, shattering them.

“Told you I’d be right back!” Flitt says cheerfully while Shush sends yet another windstorm. “And I brought friends. Oh! Azi, look out!”

I don’t see the shard of wood until it’s too late. It splinters through my neck, sending pain searing up into my skull and down my spine. My knees buckle. My breath comes in short gurgles. My mouth fills with warm, thick blood. The tree comes to life again. It raises its foot, ready to stomp and smash and end me.

As my vision fades I’m aware of Twig beside me, taming the great creature again. I hear something else. Arrows. Several of them flying at once.

Through the dark blur that closes in, I focus hard on Jacek. His face is locked in a grimace. Five arrows neatly line his torso from his neck to his navel. Five more strike him at once as a blue light bathes the forest. Tib appears in front of him again, freed from the roots. He plunges his dagger into Jacek’s robes. The black char of fairy fire spreads from the blade, crackling slowly, consuming him.

“You think this is over?” Jacek hisses through the blood on his lips as the charcoal creeps up his chest. “It has only begun. The wheels are in motion. The Order lurks, waiting to strike. You feared
me
,” he laughs, gurgling blood. “You have no idea. Bask in your cursed victory.” He reaches for Tib but his blackened arm crumbles. “May it forever blind you to the truth.”

He falls backward into the ferns with a heavy thud and a puff of soot and smoke. The blue light nears as I struggle to keep myself awake. If I don’t panic, if I breathe slowly, I can live.

“Azi,” Shush whispers. My bangs rustle in the breeze as he hovers over me. “I’m sorry.”

“Azi,” Twig pulls the great splinter of wood from my neck. I feel the blood gush warm over my shoulder.

“She’ll be all right,” Flitt says, but she doesn’t sound very convinced. “She’s strong.” Her light floods my vision, blocking out everything around me. I feel her land on my chest. The wound at my neck tingles. “Hang on, Azi. The healers are coming.”

“Rian,” I whisper. If it’s going to end this way, I need him. Need to hold his hand and know he’s safe. I try to look for him but I can’t move much. Valenor’s cloak flicks over me and I feel a hand squeeze mine. It’s Rian’s, I know it is.

The thought that he’s okay gives me the strength I need to hold on. I blink through Flitt’s bright light. I can’t see Rian, but I do see Tib. He’s standing over the spot where Jacek fell. He holds his arms out to someone. Her black hair shimmers in Flitt’s light. The bow at her shoulder glows soft blue. The arrows make sense now. Ki. Flitt strokes my cheek. Someone approaches. Brother Donal. I sigh with relief. It’s over. The healers are here. We’re safe.

Tib
 

Alone on the widow’s walk of the Ganvent manse, I sit and watch the ships come and go. I like it up here, where I can see for leagues and leagues. The cool breeze of Springsdawn rustles my hair. A group of ships catches my eye. Three of them coming in. I raise my new double spyglass. The one the Admiral brought me. I get a good look at them. Banners. Sunteri banners. Prince Vorance’s ships. One is faster than the others. I focus on the crow’s nest. The ratlines. The sails. I imagine Cap at the helm. Remember sitting up there, watching. Remember Mevyn.

Memories, Ki says, are precious. Hold on to them. Keep them safe. I think of the moment we became brother and sister again. Back in the battle at Felescue. Back when I thought all was lost until Twig spoke to the roots and set me free.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her. At first I thought it was one of Jacek’s tricks. It couldn’t have been, though. He was dead now. Her arrows and my dagger made sure of it. I watched him turn to dust.

She smiled at me and ran to me, slinging her bow over her shoulder. Hugged me. Held me close. Not like before in the Ring. This time, she really knew me. This time she remembered. I wanted to keep hugging her and never let go. But Azi lay at our feet, cold and still. Rian, too. In fact, everything was silent. Even the elves were down.

Flitt was working healing over Azaeli. She was covered in blood but I couldn’t see from what. I healed her with my vials. Healed Dacva, too, and Donal. Kept a tight hold on Ki’s hand, though, just in case. She leaned toward me. Told me she was proud of me. Told me she was sorry for leaving me. Her eyes flashed blue.

The little door to the ladder creaks, and Saesa pops through it excitedly. She’s still dressed for training. Her blue and gold squire sash flaps in the breeze.

“Tib, look what’s come!” she says excitedly. She waves a couple of scrolls at me. One is tied with a purple ribbon. It has Princess Margary’s seal: a tiny fairy perched over a flower.

“The royal wedding invitations,” she says before I open mine. “One for you and one for me. We’re to be Margary’s special guests. Isn’t it exciting?”

“That’s great,” I say. The fairy symbol reminds me of Mevyn. Of Flitt. I let my mind wander again, back to that same day.

Ki and I had gone to Valenor’s side to settle in the ferns. After a while, Flitt tore herself from Azi’s side to hover in front of me. She held out a stone.

“I’m supposed to give this to you,” she said. “It was meant for Mevyn. Crocus said you earned it. She said it’s up to you now. We’ll help you if you need it.”

She dropped the stone into my palm and right away I felt a stirring inside of me. Images of fairies flashed through my mind. Mindspinner. Weaver of Threads. Keeper of Songs. All of them sang to me. My heart began to race as I watched Flitt dart back to Azi and shine her light.

“As will I,” Valenor said, patting my shoulder, “Lifebringer.”

Saesa stands beside me on the widow’s walk and we look off together toward the south. She doesn’t say anything. Her shoulder presses against mine. She knows when I’m quiet, it’s because I’m thinking back. She knows how important my memories are to me. I picture what’s beyond the horizon. Elespen. Sunteri.

Heat. Sand. Wind. Stones. Sweat.

I never wanted to go back to that place. When I left, I swore I’d never return. It was different that last time, though. Not frightening or sad. Maybe because I knew it wasn’t my home anymore. The distant fields of red were only memories. I have friends. People who care about me. Saesa. Ki. Azaeli. Rian. I chuckle at the last. Never thought I’d name a Mage my friend.

The rest of them were there, too. They earned a place. Mya and Elliot, who fought bravely against Jacek. Lisabella and the rest of the Elite who held back attackers at the Wall while the elves fought beside us. Everyone was there. All of my friends.

Valenor, too. His cloak billowed around us. Kept the dust and the heat away.

We stood together on the edge of the great empty bowl that once held all of Sunteri’s magic. The drained, dead Wellspring. Ki rested a hand on my shoulder. I remember being so glad that Iren let her stay with me, just for that moment. After that, we’d say goodbye. They offered to let me stay with her in Kythshire. I thought about it a lot, but I didn’t want to live among fairies every day.

Ki’s eyes flashed blue and I knew the Spirit of the Shadow Crag was with us, too. There to witness what was about to happen. I reached into my pocket and looked at the others, who nodded to me.

I remember how the stone glimmered in my hand as I held it over the wasted spring. I closed my eyes and waited. I felt the stirring inside me, the fluttering of wings. It was the same as when Flitt first gave it to me.

One by one, they left me. Sage of the Known, with his scrolls and strange orbs. Keeper of Songs, who hummed softly as she parted. Warden of Sands, which swirled around him like a dust storm. One by one they placed a hand on the stone until all of them were reunited. The last to join them was Mindspinner, who turned and blew me a kiss before she rested her hand on the pebble. They weren’t solid. More like ghosts or apparitions of who they once had been.

Together they drifted away from me until they were centered over the Wellspring. The rest of us waited and watched as the fairies poised themselves in place. Nothing happened. They bowed their heads and looked toward us.

“What’s wrong?” Azi whispered.

“They are incomplete,” Valenor said quietly by my shoulder. I felt a shift in him and watched in disbelief as another tiny apparition formed over his outstretched hand. “Old friend.”

I let go of Ki’s hand as a wisp of Mevyn turned to bow to me. He was barely visible, but it was absolutely him. When I reached out to him, he moved away from me and shook his head. I understood. A touch from me would have made him fade. He’d be no more. He drifted to join the others, but still nothing happened.

“They need a little boost.” Flitt chirped from Azi’s shoulder. She flew to hover in the center of the rest of them and as her colors touched each one of them, golden light shot over their heads in streams like a fountain. It flowed from the stone into each of the fairies and spilled over into the drained spring to fill it.

It filled to the brim quickly and flooded over. The banks of the pool turned green and burst with flowers of yellow and white and purple. Saplings sprouted from the sand and grew and stretched overhead. The restored magic crept onward as far as we could see. Dense palms and thick vines created a canopy of cool green shade. Water dripped from the leaves. Birds sang. I remember turning around and around to watch in awe as the oasis grew and flourished. Waterfalls trickled nearby. Frogs croaked.

“Come now,” Valenor said fondly. “It is ready for you.” He opened his arms beside me. Orbs of light no bigger than my fingertip emerged from his cloak. Dozens. Hundreds. A thousand, maybe. Pink, red, orange, blue, yellow, and green. They floated around us curiously. I could hear giggling and singing from them. Whispering. Chattering. Excitement. Relief.

At the center of the pool, the pebble was spent. Its magic was thick in the air around us now, just like in Kythshire. The fairies holding it sunk lower and lower until they disappeared into the Wellspring. I turned to look around, hoping to see Mevyn. No one else was looking. Their attention was on the Lady Knight and her Mage.

At the Wellspring’s edge, framed by glittering gold, Rian knelt before Azaeli. He had her hand in his, and he was gazing up at her, smiling. Flitt’s light danced over them brightly as she hovered between them, grinning. I remember how it made Azaeli’s eyes sparkle.

Rian pulled something from his vest that glinted in the light. A ring. The others gathered around them and I edged closer to watch.

“Azaeli Hammerfel,” Rian said, clearing his throat. He was nervous, anyone could see that. “Here in this place, surrounded by magic, all I see is you. All I ever see is you. You have stood beside me through doubt, through adversity. In battle and in happiness. I can’t imagine my life without you. I can’t imagine a day without you. Azi, with your parents’ blessing and with all the love in my heart, I ask you. Will you be my bride?”

Saesa clung to my arm, her eyes wide. Everyone around us seemed to be holding their breath. Even the fairy orbs were silent as they drifted and bobbed nearby. Azi grinned down at Rian. She nodded, but didn’t say anything as tears streamed down her face. Then he took her in his arms and when they kissed, everyone erupted into cheers and whoops. Even the fairies.

In the midst of the celebration, the quiet pool of the Wellspring rippled. No one else noticed but me as tips of golden wings appeared in the center of it. A spear tip followed. I nudged Saesa and pointed as the familiar head of golden, waving hair emerged, followed by shoulders of leaf-like golden armor, a broad chest, and stout legs. I watched in disbelief as Mevyn floated over the surface of the Wellspring toward us.

He stopped before Azaeli and Rian, who were still being hugged and congratulated by the others. They slowly fell into a hush as one by one they noticed him.

“You have done us a great service,” Mevyn said gravely. “We are grateful to you, one and all.” He opened his arms to them. Behind him, the others of his kind hovered in a group to watch and listen. Mindspinner glanced at me and smiled. Weaver of Threads gave me a nod.

“Our gratitude is such that we gladly name you as allies, as long as you act in the interest of the Wellsprings. If you should need us, then you will come to remember us, and we shall allow you passage. We hope that you understand the measures that must be taken at this time.”

Valenor nodded beside me. His cloak caressed all of us. Made us move closer together in a bunch so that Mevyn could see us all properly.

“It is essential,” said Mevyn, “for us to protect our restored Wellspring.” He looked from one of them to the next, his golden light glinting in their eyes. He didn’t look at me, though. He kept his promise. Never again would he meddle with my mind.

The rest gazed into his eyes. Even Saesa. Even Ki. He never made such a promise to them. The blue stone of her engagement ring glinted and sparkled in the golden light as Azi stood hand in hand with Rian, agreeing to the spell that would make them forget.

“And now,” Mevyn began, “for the preservation of my people and for your own protection…”

“What are you thinking about?” Saesa asks, jarring me back to the present. I look at her. Meet her bright green eyes.

“Old friends,” I say quietly. I’m not sure exactly what she remembers and what she doesn’t, so don’t go into details.

“Well,” she says, “let’s go in.” She picks up my spyglass and tucks the invitations away. “We don’t want to be late for supper. Nessa’s invited My Lady Knight. I think she’s going to try and get her to talk about the accusations against Prince Eron. Oh, and my mum made a cake.”

I let her take me by the hand and pull me through to the ladder. The roots, the trees, they’re only memories. The closed space doesn’t frighten me anymore. After everything I’ve been through, not much does.

The End