Wards of Faerie: The Dark Legacy of Shannara (14 page)

Aphenglow blushed at the unexpected praise. “It does. But I have made my choice and learned to live with it. I would not take it back now.”

“Even so, it is a burden, and it might never be lifted from your shoulders. No one should have to bear such a stigma, especially when it is so undeserved. I worry for you, Aphen.”

Aphenglow stared in surprise, unable to respond to such deep concern with anything remotely appropriate. Should she thank the Ard Rhys for her solicitude? Should she declare it unnecessary?

Khyber Elessedil saved her the trouble by releasing her hands and standing. “Woostra comes. I will hear his report now and pretend that I have heard nothing of it before.” She smiled. “I think I can do that well enough. So say nothing.”

Aphen rose with her, turning to watch the scribe’s approach, a stiff-legged shuffle that suggested not all of his parts were functioning. Woostra gave them a nod.

“Go find the others,” the Ard Rhys said quickly to Aphen. “Tell them to gather in the main Council chamber at midday. We will discuss this further at that time.”

Then Woostra was next to her and she was guiding him by the elbow into his offices, closing the doors behind them. Aphenglow
stood looking after them for a moment longer, almost expecting the Ard Rhys to reappear. But she didn’t, and the young woman finally turned away.

Midday brought a change in the weather, which at sunrise had seemed bright and clear but had now turned gray and chilly. The winds had picked up, clouds scudded across the sky in waves, and it was clear that a storm was on the way. The Druids were seated around the huge table that dominated the main Council chamber. Khyber Elessedil had just finished her report on meeting with the Shade of Allanon, confirming what Woostra had discovered in his search about Aleia Omarosian’s ties to the Chosen, and in the silence that ensued she was now looking from face to face. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was looking for. Maybe some hint of inner strength and determination to see through what must inevitably happen next. Maybe some sense of how strong each could be when their metal was placed in the fire. She didn’t know, but she searched anyway.

“What are we to do?” Carrick asked finally, his lean figure draped in his chair like a straw man’s.

It was
the
question, of course. But she had already thought it through after leaving Aphenglow. She had returned to her chambers, bathed and dressed in clean clothes, had Woostra bring her food and drink, and then sat by her window and considered her options. It wasn’t so much what she should do as what she should do
first
. They needed to undertake a search for the Elfstones, but before doing so they needed to be better prepared. She had listened carefully to Allanon’s shade. She might have dismissed such advice coming from anyone else, but not from him. Even dead, he knew people and their vicissitudes better than most. That he could sense things hidden from others came as no surprise to anyone who had studied his life, and she had studied it thoroughly.

In particular, if he said they needed help from others more talented and better trained in areas where they were not, she knew to pay attention to his advice.

“If we are to find the Elfstones, we will need the help of others,” she said when the silence following Carrick’s question had lengthened
sufficiently. “Allanon’s shade made it clear that we could not do this alone. No reason was given, nor was any argument encouraged. I felt strongly that the matter was not open to discussion or equivocation. So we will do as we have been advised. We will seek out others who will accompany us on our search.”

Pleysia shook her head. “I don’t like involving other people. People who are not Druids.”

“Others have always been there to aid us.” Khyber met her dark gaze and held it. “Any number of times. Have you forgotten your history?”

“Members of the Ohmsford family,” Seersha interjected, “helped Allanon three times, Walker Boh twice, and Grianne Ohmsford twice. Other families have aided us, too. The Leahs. The Elessedils, as well.”

“But it was the living who made that decision, not the dead.” Pleysia would not back down. “And in each case the decision was made because those who went possessed magic that was necessary to the success of the quests undertaken. This isn’t the same.”

“You are splitting hairs, Pleysia,” Bombax observed quietly.

“Am I? Then perhaps they need splitting.”

“And perhaps you need to consider your words more carefully before you speak them.”

Pleysia was on her feet, furious. “Why don’t you consider what it meant to rely on Allanon’s word in those earlier times? He was duplicitous and manipulative in life; why would he be any different in death? Some essential part of any truth he knew was always hidden from those who relied on his words! Why do you think it would be any different here?”

She wheeled on Khyber. “You might trust this shade. You might believe the advice it gives you is valuable and should be heeded. But I suggest you forget more of history than I do. How many of us will be sacrificed in this effort because of that?”

Khyber Elessedil shook her head slowly. “None, I hope. Some of what you say is right. But that doesn’t mean everything I was told is a lie or duplicitous. If that were so, I would sense it. My mind is made up on this, Pleysia. I have accepted Allanon’s warning as valid. I
accept that we must heed it. We must seek help to complete this quest. Starting right away.”

She paused, making sure they were done arguing the point. Pleysia shrugged and looked away. “Allanon’s shade warned me that there must be at least one Ohmsford who comes with us,” Khyber continued. “It will be my responsibility to find that one. An Ohmsford has been involved with the Druids on every quest since the return of the Warlock Lord. Grianne Ohmsford was Ard Rhys before me. The history is there, and I don’t intend to ignore it.”

“Perhaps the history you rely on is not applicable to this situation,” Pleysia muttered. “Perhaps we should consider another approach.”

“Do you have one in mind?” Bombax pressed. “Because if not, perhaps we should let the Ard Rhys finish.”

Pleysia glared at him but stayed silent. Khyber gave her a moment, waiting to see if she wanted to pursue her argument, and then she continued.

“I think we need a Seer. I think we need a skilled Tracker and a warrior stronger in arms and more experienced in fighting skills than any of us—perhaps even than Garroneck or his Trolls. We need all of these before we even think about setting out. I would like each of you to help in securing their services. Men or women, either will do. But we need balance in our expedition, a cross section of skills and abilities.”

There was an extended silence. “I will go to Varfleet,” Bombax declared. “Better Callahorn than a return to the Federation cities. Men and women possessing such skills as those you describe, Mistress, can be found in the Borderlands.”

“I will go home to the Dwarves,” Seersha added quickly.

“Aphenglow returns to the Elves to search further through the Elven writings in case there is something more on Aleia Omarosian’s time with the Chosen. Carrick, will you travel down into the Federation and look there?”

“Better you send me than Carrick,” Pleysia interrupted suddenly. “He is not skilled enough to avoid being identified, Southlander or no. I am more familiar with travel in the Federation than he is.”

Khyber was surprised. “I gathered from your disagreement with my intentions you would prefer to stay here.”

Pleysia shrugged, her smooth features wrinkling. “I might not agree with your decision to include others in our efforts to find the Elfstones, but that doesn’t mean I don’t intend to take part in the search. I don’t trust Allanon, but I do support you. I am disagreeing, Mistress, not withdrawing.”

She said it calmly, without rancor or disgruntlement. Khyber was impressed. “Your point is taken. I will send you both. Carrick can go into the Eastland with Seersha. Where will you go, Pleysia?”

“Not where anyone else is going. Not to the Elves especially. I leave that to Aphen. Somewhere else. But I would prefer to keep it to myself for now. Will you trust me?”

Khyber nodded. With Pleysia, you never knew what to expect anyway. “Of course I will. Do what you think is necessary.”

She turned back to the others. “We will leave in the morning, all of us. Take skimmers and go alone. Avoid being noticed. There may be some who would attempt to interfere if they learned what we are doing. One man for certain. If Drustan Chazhul learns what we are about, he will almost certainly act on it.”

“What can he do?” Carrick was dismissive. “Send a fleet of ships to intercept us? Try to take over the search himself? He is only one man, even if he is an unpleasant one.”

“A very dangerous man,” Bombax said at once. “I should know. I’ve spent enough time around him over the past year, watching him manipulate and deceive everyone from Ministers to his mother. What he will do if he finds out about this is hard to imagine. But I wouldn’t be too quick to assume that anything is beyond him.”

“We’ll take no chances,” Khyber agreed. “While you are looking, you will not discuss the specifics of what we are about. This is an expedition that requires men and women who possess certain skills. The pay will be high and the work dangerous. That is all anyone needs to know. The rest can be revealed later. There is to be no mention of magic.

“And,” she added, drawing out the word, “there will be no communication among us until we are returned to Paranor. Attempts at
communication are too dangerous. The danger of giving something away is too great. We will allow one week for this effort. Then we will return. Remember. One week only.”

Heads nodded and a chorus of mumbled agreement was voiced. Khyber asked each in turn, wanting a solid commitment. No one, not even Pleysia, spoke a word of objection.

Moments later, when they had adjourned the meeting and were filing out the door, Khyber felt a hand touch her arm lightly.

“Mistress.” Aphenglow was standing very close, clearly not wanting any of the others to hear. “Can I speak to you in private?”

Khyber led the young Elven woman down the hall and into her personal study. She gestured for Aphenglow to take a seat and then set about making tea. Only after the tea was ready and both were sipping from the steaming mugs did she ask what Aphen wanted.

“Two things, in fact.” Aphenglow seemed to gather her thoughts. “Let me start with a request. I would like permission to seek an audience with the King when I reach Arborlon. I intend to ask him to lend us use of the Elfstones.”

Khyber nodded, keeping her face expressionless. “Why would you do that, Aphen? In all the centuries the other Elfstones have been missing, no one has ever been successful in using the blue Elfstones to find them. Why would it be any different now?”

“I don’t know that it would.” Aphen brushed back strands of her long blond hair and tightened the ribbon that held the thick mane back from her face. “But if it were to turn out that the blue Elfstones could help, wouldn’t we want to have them in our possession?”

“We would. Do you know of my agreement with Arling Elessedil?”

“When you returned the Elfstones almost a century ago, you extracted a promise from her that if you asked to borrow them, she would allow it. That was the condition for their return.”

“So you would rely on that in making your argument to the King?”

“He is bound by his mother’s word.”

“I wouldn’t count on that, Aphen. Your grandfather is of a different mind and temperament than your great-grandmother, but he is still her son.”

“Nevertheless, we are family, and even if he doesn’t agree with my
choice to come here and study with you, he respects my decision. I think he might agree because of that.”

“But all of this is pointless if the Elfstones won’t help. Why do you suddenly think they would?”

Aphenglow shook her head. “I don’t think anything. I am just considering possibilities. It would support my request if it came through you, so I am requesting permission to approach the King on the matter if I deem it useful.”

Khyber studied her quietly. Wheels within wheels. Aphenglow had something specific in mind—something she wasn’t revealing. “Very well. I give you permission. But don’t abuse it by taking unnecessary risks. And you are not to tell your grandfather or anyone else in your family what it is we are seeking. Not a hint of it. What is the second matter you wish to discuss? Another request?”

Aphenglow shook her head. “In all the excitement of finding the diary and coming back to find you awake, I forgot to tell you something else I discovered while searching through the Elven records. Not through the histories themselves, but through the ancillary records—the genealogy charts of the Elven Kings and Queens, in particular.”

“You found something else?”

“I did, although I haven’t decided what to make of it. I found that before the Omarosian line died out, it merged with the Elessedils. So the Elessedils are related to the Omarosians in a very distant way. I have kept this private because it only has to do with us. With the Elessedil family.”

Khyber was instantly certain Aphenglow was wrong about this, but she couldn’t say why. It was an instinctual reaction but one so strong that she could not ignore it. The connection between Elessedils and Omarosians was much more important that Aphenglow realized.

“We can keep this private,” she agreed. “At least until we understand more fully what it means. When you return to Arborlon, expand your search to look for something about the connection between the two families. There must be something on this. The Elessedil records are very thorough. Speak to your mother about it.”

She saw Aphenglow blanch, and she knew that her relationship with her mother had not improved. “Do what you can, Aphen,” she finished.

The young woman made a face. “I will try, Mistress.”

“And be careful. Be wary of everyone. I don’t want anything happening to you while you are back there.”

Aphenglow gave a quick smile, rose, and left the room. Khyber Elessedil watched her go, resisting the urge to call her back. She did not want to lose Aphen. But she had to let her go.