The Binding (39 page)

We pick up speed and travel mostly in silence , k eeping pace with each other and maintaining a steady run . We’re able to travel further than our first run, especially with the girls being out.
No longer having to deal with their clutch es of death allows us to travel without fear that they would inadvertently knock us off our feet. At the speed we’
re traveling , it’s almost certain that if that does happen, we would be out for the day, m aybe two depending on the damage.

We’ve
been traveling for several hours and fatigue is starting to set in. We pull the pace back to a slow trot knowing that another hidden shelter, only a mile from the portal , is just up ahead. We veer deeper into the woods, coming up close to the mountain side. Tolan is the first to slow to a fast walk, and leads us to a p atch of pines growing closely together. The space between the trees is a tight squeeze for someone ca r r y ing another person on their back. About six feet deep we come to the mountain ’s side made of solid rock. Tolan walks to the nearest tree, breathing heavily and leans on it with one hand. He bows his head and repeats the chant Phoris taught him when we first came this way from Velesi.

Silently, without sound or vibrations, a slab of the mountain wall moves t o one side. We move in quickly, but before Tolan can close the slab back in place, I try reaching out to the wolves to offer them shelter. We wait for an answer . A fter a few minutes of silence, we step back and Tolan closes the entrance, cutting off the outside world.

As soon as we walk in, two panswas in the smaller cave immediately light the area.
I look over at the fire ring and send out a spurt of energy to start a small blaze. Within a minute the blaze is roaring and heating up the room quickly. We each take one side of the fire ring and start to release Julia and Lily from their bindings. Gently laying her on the ground, I notice her fingers are swollen and slightl y blue. Damn. I tied her bindings to o tightly. I start rubbing her arms and the back of her knees. I hear Julia coming to nearby and soon Tolan is at my side handing me a small vial to place under Lily’s nose. I do as instructed and she comes to slowly. I return to rubbing her arms.

I look around and see signs of Mellis, Alorn and Phoris having been here before moving into the Velesi realm. I look back at Lily and see her opening her eyes and I help her sit up.

“You okay?” I ask, searching her face.

She nods
.
“Where are we?”

“In a safe place before we reach the border. We’re only about a mile out,” I answer.

She
sits up looking at me with wide eyes, “Really? What’s it like , Tharin ?
I mean , can we breathe there? Do we need space suits? Or will there be an immigration desk where we need to sign in ? What ? T
ell me !
”

I’m
so stun ned she is speaking to me again that I just stare at her. Then she smiles and starts to laugh. The sound of her laughter lifts my spirits and I join in, shaking my head for being had in such a simple way. After an awkward moment she says, “I’m sorry. About drifting on my own, and…
and you’re right, I should have come to you. I didn’t mean for you to risk your life for me.”

I lean my head forward until our foreheads touch. I quietly say, “I’d do it over and over again if I have to. And, apology accepted, but only if you’ll forgive me for yelling at you . I didn’t mean what I said and I really didn’t mean to make you cry.”

She laughs a little and pulls back, “I think we now know who the real bully is here.”

I know she meant it as a joke, but I shake my head at her unable to laugh along.
“At some point, when we’re back at the Oak Tower , you and I will need to talk,” I say . She stares at me for moment before nodding her agreement.

“Okay, Tharin,” she answers. “Tharin?”

“Yes, Lily?”

“It feels
as if there are a million needles stabbing my legs,” she says laughing again.

I sit back
, taking hold of her legs and start rubbing again. She winces through most of the ordeal, but she seems to be content with my rough handling of her. Suddenly, the weight on my shoulders seems to lighten, and my world is right again.

I make another mental no te to myself. When Lily is happy, I’m happy. Got it.

*

I sit and watch as Tharin continues rubbing my legs. When I came to and he was the first one I saw, I realize d I would like to see him every time I open my eyes. I remember during the drifting when he came to me, how he pushed me behind him . How he stepped up to the big guy for me. I admitted to myself then how I truly feel about Tharin. I love him. Somewhere deep inside me I know I belong with him , and he with me. Somehow it feels good to finally admit that to myself. Julia was right . It’s so much easier once I accept the truth.
This is why when we reach the Oak Tower , I’ll leave him and get back to finding Lucas. I love him, I truly do. I feel it in my bones, in my soul, with all my heart . It’s just like all those sentiments that I’ve read about in those Hallmark cards. I love Tharin and that’s why I know I have to leave him.

As I watch him, I feel an ache in my chest , but I ignore it. I would rather be the friend he wants and leave s , than to stay and witness him with Kalis on a daily basis. I look at the onyx stone embedded in the back of my wrist and make a mental note to some how remove it and leave it behind. Like everything else that belongs to Tharin, this too belongs to Kalis.

When he looks up at me and smiles, I think I’m about to have a seizure. Seriously, did I truly believe that someone who looks like him, who is the future king of an entire realm , would actually be interested in me? Of course , he did risk his life for me.
But, then again, he’s honor—
bound to his people, his king and to a treaty that includes me. A promise made between our parents, and his obligation is to his father, not me.

I nod to myself. Yes, I would rather that we be friends when I leave than have him know that I love him. Pity is something I don’t want from him. I can’t have what I want , so my only option is to leave.

When Tharin finally stopped rubbing my legs, he stood and reached down for me. For the next hour we both rested. H
e and Tolan napped briefly, resting from their long run. I watched him while he slept, and now I watch him go about getting things ready for our final trip to the Velesi borders . Phoris and Mellis left a note behind saying that Alorn was doing better as he had something to drink and eat. They thought they would reach the healer Mili before nightfall. They also left bags full of supplies that they put together for us before leaving. The small cave had a smaller room behind a rock that’s used as storage. The cold walls make it a natural built -in cooler.

Finally, once everything is in order, Tolan prepares to open the slab when Julia turns to him and says, “I love you, Tolan.”

Tolan is at first speechless, then he pulls her to him and kisses her with such passion that I feel my heart break. I feel the tears on my cheeks , and I’m both ecstatically happy and miserably sad.
I’m happy for my friend who deserves to be happy and to be with Tolan.
I’m sad because I just witnessed what I will never have with Tharin.

When he sees me crying, Tharin puts his arm around me hugging me lightly. I look up to see him watching his brother with a whimsical smile on his face. I look away trying not to think that he’s imagining himself doing the same with Kalis.

I wipe my tears and steady myself. Friends, a t least we will be friends.

*

I watch my brother and the woman who I know will be his bride kiss after she declares her love for him. He didn’t say the words in return , but by the passion of his kiss, I believe she knows that he shares her sentiment. I notice Lily crying and I put my arm around her, knowing she’s happy for both Tolan and Julia .

I’ve
made a decision to speak to our father about Julia and vouch for her as the right choice for Tolan. If I have to give up the throne myself, I will not see my brother banished for loving his soul mate. Besides, I can’t see f ather banishing his son over a law that was formulated millennia ago .
I truly don’t believe he would lose Tolan because of an archaic law . However, if he does harbor mix ed feelings about their union …
a few grandchildren will bring about a change of heart.

I think of our children from my vision during our Binding. I smile to myself as I remember the youngest, twin girls with blonde hair like t he i r father’s and eyes like their mother’s. I imagine Lily and me with them, but that image comes to a halt when I see her face after she turns away from me. I sigh, knowing she probably still thinks she’ll go off and find Lucas. I try to calm my thoughts not wanting Lily to feel any change in my mood. We do have a lot to talk about when we get back to the Oak Tower .
How I ’
ll go about telling her of Lucas’ de mise will take some thought and tact. Not only that, but I’ve no clue how she’ll react to finding out that Harlu is actually her twin brother. I look down at her and it dawns on me that keeping Lily happy these next few days will be easier said than done.

*

I
don’t know if it’s because of Tolan and Julia moving as if they’re walking on air, but we reach the doorway to the realm of Velesi within the half hour.
I’m not sure what I expected, but it’s not a glowing door or golden gates with trumpets blaring , or a quaint English gate with miniature roses and scented flowers.
It’s an old fallen tree covered with snow, lying between two large boulders as tall as a three-storied building and thin as the trees standing around them.
Although the area is heavily surrounded by t rees, smaller boulders and rocks are scatter ed in clusters nearby.

Julia and I find one of the smaller boulders to sit on and per Tolan’s instructions start removing the mini ski -like shoes.

“Won’t we need these on the other side?” asks Julia.

“No,”
Tolan answers, “It’s raining in the region this time of year; it won’t snow there for another two months.”

She continues to remove the attachments, and then asks, “
So, do we need raincoats?”

“We have gear on the other side,” he replies. “But don’t worry; we won’t be standing still for long. Mili’s home is only a few miles from the doorway. I’ll get you there before you get soaked.” He leans over and kisses her lightly.

Smiling after his kiss, she asks, “
Will we meet up with your cousins on the other side?”

“Eventually,” he replies, “but they’re at least a full day ahead of us by now. They may wait for us at Mili’s or move on to the Oak Tower .”

“Who’s Mili
?
” I ask, joining in on their conversation.

“A healer, an Ancient. She ’
s one of the few Ancient’s left in Velesi,” answer s Tharin, joining in.

“An Ancient?” I ask standing, finally removing the snow shoes from my boots. “I assume she’s extremely old and wise?”

Both Tolan and Tharin laugh, with Tolan answering, “Well, she’s old al l right, but more cranky than wise.”

“
D
oes that mean , ” asks Julia, “the stories we heard about elves are true, that you live forever?”

Tolan takes the shoes from me and shoves them into one of the bags saying, “In Velesi, time is not the same as it is in this realm. Our life span s are much longer than yours, so we seem like immortals to you, but the truth is, we all die. We just take a little longer getting there.”

I start to feel the cold again and stand with my arms across my chest trying to keep warm. When Tharin walks up to me I look up at him and ask, “So, how old are you?”

He looks at me shaking his head, smiling, “Almost a century, but by human standards, we’re only a year older than you.”

My mouth drops, “
Did you say a century?”

“Almost a century,” corrects Tolan.

Julia is quiet until Tolan nudges her, “You okay?”

She turns to him and says, “So, while I’ll be old and grey, you’ll still look as you are?”

Realizing where she’s heading, Tolan takes her in his arms and replies, “That’s right. And, I’ll love you then as I love you now.”

Not being placated, she answers, “Well , that doesn’t seem fair at all.” Julia then smiles at him when she sees his distress about the age difference and changes the subject, “What do you call the days of the week?”

“Well,”
answers Tolan with some relief , “We call the first day Monday , the second day Tuesday and the third day…”

Julia hits him playfully on his chest, “Oh , shut up. You know what I mean. Don’t the Sidhe have their own language?”

“Let me guess, The Lord of the Rings is a favorite movie of yours, right?” offers Tharin. He takes the bags with the ski shoes and places them behind a large rock next to the two sentinel boulders near the fallen tree.