The Drifting (62 page)

“But why me?  Why not a true Sidhe?” I interrupt, remembering Kalis’ words.
 

Her face becomes serious as she says, “Although you have your father’s blood in you, you are a true Sidhe in the eyes of the healers…and of your mother’s.  It’s the blood of the Unnamed Sidhe that is needed for the opening to Eirrell.  You will
be challenged and in danger, that’s when the Unnam
ed Sidhe would come to your aid
.  When he does, you must give him the key so that no one but a few will be able to enter Eirrell and the other realms.”

“Only a few?  Why not let everyone travel between realms?”

“
I don’t know…maybe c
orruption, the destruction of our world as we know it by outsiders who want to destroy our way of life
?
 
The realm of Pathen becomes aware of Velesi t
here would be war, lives needlessly jeopardize
d
and taken
. 
It won’t
just
happen to our realm
, but the other realms, too.”

I nod understanding, “So, I just need to get the
key
to the doorway
, open
, but
don’t
allow anyone to enter,
including me
.  The Unnamed Sidhe will appear and I just hand him the
key
.  He’ll take it and prevent the doorways to any of the realms from opening.” I think for a minute before continuing, “So…I really don’t need to marry, Tharin, then.  Right?  The realms would be saved and I can go home.”

She shakes her head, “No, you must marry him.  You have to be queen of Velesi to open the doorway.  Not only that, but it’s a part of the treaty; to go against it would bring war among the clans.  With the strongest clans united as one, it strengthens the throne of the Oak with the combine
d
military force of both houses. 
Also,
the
Willow
throne will not accept another ruler, leaving the seat up for all challengers.  We knew, Thilthen and me, that you were the last of my line to the throne.  We were also aware of the plans to have me assassinated to prevent the union between the clans.”

“Wait, Sema told me they came for you but you were able to send me to safety before they took you.  They weren’t there to kill you were they?  They were there to kill me?”

She places her hand on my cheek, a sad smile on her face, “No, not kill…to take as their own.  But I would have died a thousand deaths for you. 
You are destined to marry
Tharin
, to become the realms queen.
To do so
means the
Willow
throne
will be open and the king of the realm may ascend another from the royal bloodline to be the new ruler.  It is the only way that the Unnamed Sidhe will allow it to happen.  Tolan will make a great king, and Ziri his First Greaneth.”

“That doesn’t make sense, what about Harlu.  He’s your heir, too.  Why won’t he be king?”

“The throne won’t accept him.  There is too much darkness, too much evil in your brother for the throne to accept him now.  I knew it the day he was born.  It broke my heart and although Lea’ith wanted him dead at the time, I stayed her hand.  I couldn’t take a life that your father and I created out of love.”  She bows her head, looking down at her hands as she twists them. 

“But now you wish you
had,” it wasn’t a question
but a fact.  I can see it on her face along with the guilt of many lives lost because she allowed her son to live.  I change the subject
,
knowing
talking
about Harlu
hurts her
.  “What is this key you keep talking about?”

She delicately clears her throat and smiles at me before continuing.  “You gave the key to Julia, the Manui stone.  You have to find her and take the key back.  Only you and Tharin can take it from her. Otherwise, when Harlu finds out she has the key he will cut
off
her head to get it.”

I sit up
,
startled to hear first that the Manui stone is the key and that Julia is in danger.  “What do you mean cut
off
her head?  Are you serious?”

“Yes, I am.  The Manui stone, the one Tharin gave you
…that’s
the key to the doorway of Eirrell.  Actually, Tharin doesn’t know it
,
but it’s the key to all the realms.  It belonged to Kalinest until he gave it to your betrothed.  Now that you’re queen, Harlu will come for you again
,
and when he discovers you don’t have the key, he will torture the location out of you.  And when he does, he will go after Julia.”

“I’ll never tell him,” I blurt out harshly.

“But you will.  You see, Harlu knows who your father is
–
or at least he thinks he does, and because of that he will torture an innocent in front of you until you give in.  If that doesn’t work, he will go on to the next person you love…Marilyn
,
and eventually he will get to Julia.”

“Why is he this way?  How could someone be born evil?”

“He was marked at the time of his birth by Eathos.  Eathos is powerful and extremely dangerous.  When he was banished to the UnderRealm by his brother, his hate twisted his soul and blackened his heart.  It manifested to an evil like nothing seen before in Velesi and Eirrell alike.  He overtook those in the UnderRealm who ruled before his arrival and bowed them to his will.  His hatred of Kalinest nearly destroyed Eirrell and left Kalinest no other choice but to create Velesi and
then seal Eirrell from us
.  Eathos left him no choice.” 

She looks around and with a wave of her hand she says, “All this was created by one Sidhe king and thirteen of his most faithful guards, the Ancients.  But with Mili now gone and Nedleid, Kurm and Car’ithi also dead, there are only three left.  And when the last one is gone, including Kalinest, this realm will be no more.”

“Are you serious?  If that’s the case, why am I here?  Shouldn’t Tharin and his dad start evacuating the realm?”

“To where, Lily?  To Pathen?”

“Well, why not?  I mean, would it be so bad?  There are humans here, why not just take everyone back to my realm if it means saving them?”

“Do you believe that your government or any other government in Pathen would allow a species with the ability to manipulate energy in without going to war with each other to gain those abilities?”  She shakes her head as she leans back, “I don’t think so.  It would be the same with the other realms as well.  You and Tharin will have some time to think about what to do when the time comes.”

“How long?

“For as long as Ka and the Ancients live.”

Great, at their age, they could all drop dead tomorrow.  Again changing the subject I ask, “Te
ll me who this Unnamed Sidhe is.
”

She turns to capture my gaze, “He will come to you if he believes you to be in
mortal
danger, and you will be at the
opening
.  He will take out all challengers including Eathos
, and
will fight beside your husband, Tharin.”

“Right, husband…but as long as he doesn’t sleep with me.  A virgin queen of the realm of Velesi.
  Got it,
” I say sarcastically, but change my tone when a look of pain crosses her face.  “I’m sorry, it’s just that…well
,
you don’t need to worry about that.  He loves someone else.  I thought that he loved me, but it was only for the sake of the realm.”

She tilts her head at me, giving me a crooked smile, “You believe that to be so?”

I nod, “I caught him in bed with Kalis last night.  And then tonight while holding Phoris, I…I was so devastated.  Even though Mellis was holding me, it was Tharin who I needed.  But when I looked up, he was walking away with Kalis.  I called out to him,
but
he wrapped his around her…and just walked out.”

After a moment’s thought she says, “Hmmm, you have much to learn, Lily, especially knowing when all is not what it seems. You’re so young and I know that you didn’t have the opportunity like most girls to learn about boys, or in Tharin’s case, a grown elf.  Just because he is the future king of the realm
and
that he is a great warrior and leader doesn’t mean he can’t hurt.  He feels the devastating pain over the loss of a cousin who was more like a brother he’s known all his life.  He, too, would need comfort and solace in a warm embrace.”

I suddenly wish
I was
with Tharin, to hold him close.  “Then why didn’t he choose me?  Why did he leave with her?”

“Maybe you should ask him.”

I shake my head, I’ve cried enough.  Trying not to dwell on my self-pity where Tharin is concern
ed
I change the subject again.  “Why now
?  W
hy didn’t they tell me what’s really
g
oing on?”

“It is as you say, Lily.  They think
of
you as only a child
,
and it is up to you to prove them wrong.  They have trained you to be physically stronger, to bring forth your natural abilities to work the energy around you.  It is now your decision to take all that you’ve learned and become the queen I know you truly are.  You are of the blood of the greatest healers of all realms.  You are queen of the
Willow
and soon of the Oak and
then of Velesi
.  It is time you grow up, my lovely Lily.”

She takes my hand and pulls me up when she stands
– s
o tall, so regal, so beautiful…my
mom
, the queen.  She makes a fist
,
places it on her chest
and closes
her eyes.  When she opens them again, she offers forth her hand and in its palm are tiny diamond stars twinkling in the evening light.  I make an
“
ah
”
sound and she takes the stars and places one on each of my ears.  I don’t have pierce
d
ears, but when I touch the earrings they are hanging from my earlobes, pierced in place.

“They were your grandmother’s, passed on
to her by her mother and by her mother
,
who received them from her grandmother,
Tileanith.  They were a gift from
the
Unnamed Sidhe.  Wear them with pride, my love.  They are your heritage, a reminder of who we are.”

“Thank you,” I whisper
,
honored by the gift and truly touched.

She places her hands on my shoulders, “Now, go get your betrothed and find your friend before anyone knows she has the key to Eirrell.”

She reaches over and kisses my forehead as I think about what I need to do.  As she turns to leave
but
I grab her hand.  She turns to look at me and it feels strange when I address her,
“Mom?
” I guess it isn’t too strange as we both smile at the sound of
the
simple word.  I breathe deeply before asking, “I need a favor.”