Wings of Arian (45 page)

Of course they believe her
, Kiora thought,
she is telling the truth.
Blinking, Kiora nearly laughed out loud. The truth. She had been so worried about the lies, but Dralazar wasn’t using those. He was using nothing but the truth, and twisting it in a way to suit his fancy. He hadn’t lied about Eleana, and Layla wasn’t lying about her. Not really.

The murmur died down before Drustan again spoke up, “What would you like to do Kiora?”

A plan had been quietly formatting as she had been speaking— one that she hoped they would agree to. She started to bite her lip before mentally yelling at herself to stop. No one wanted to take orders from a scared little girl. Pushing her shoulders back she said, “I want to remove the people who have not been convinced by Layla to a safe location until after the battle is over.”

The King blustered at this and Eleana addressed him, “You cannot assume that your people are incapable of lies, now that evil has been reintroduced.”

“How are we going to do that?” the King asked, sputtering, “There is no way of knowing what side they have chosen!”

“Yes, there is.” Kiora said, “All we need to do is listen to their threads.” She could see the King ready to object and she hurried onward. “We go tonight, before the sun rises and move from house to house. If those inside have chosen to believe Layla and Dralazar, then we leave them behind. If not, then we escort them out, bubbled to a safe location.”

“And where would that be Kiora?” Aleric asked earnestly. “There is nowhere that Dralazar will not feel their threads.”

“I was hoping that Eleana might be able to help us with that, something along the lines of the Hollow.”

“Of course,” Eleana agreed immediately.

“And what of the people we leave?” The King demanded. “What will happen to them?”

She knew the answer, but could not get it to come out of her mouth. She tried, opened her mouth in hopes that it would somehow fall it, but the thought made her sick. Drustan could see her pain and rescued her, “They are Dralazar’s people now,” he said. “We will leave them for Dralazar and if they are lucky he will see a need to keep them alive.”

“And if they are not!?” the King demanded.

“They have chosen their master,” Dralazar said quietly “and where their loyalties lie. We cannot change that and we cannot change what Dralazar chooses to do with them. To take them with us would risk exposure and death of a good majority of your people.”

“Your Majesty,” Aleric said, “we have sent out people to every house in Kiora’s behalf. They all knew her as a child. There is nothing more we can do.”

The King nodded reluctantly, his eyes glassy and unfocused.

Kiora watched with curiosity as Drustan moved his way through the crowd to the throne. The King was unaware of Drustan’s advance until he took the first stair. The King started with the realization that a former enemy, and a magical creature to boot, stood not but a few inches from him.

Drustan dropped to one knee in a painful act of submission. His movements were stiff and forced and Kiora understood what it took for him to offer this gesture. “Your Majesty, I know what it is like to love a people so fiercely that in an attempt to offer happiness you inadvertently cause pain instead,” he stopped, looking down. Kiora glanced to Emane. Both could fill in Dralazar’s pregnant silence, he had led his people to Dralazar’s side last time, and his people had been decimated. He understood the King’s dilemma better than his Majesty would ever understand. “I understand that the thought of losing them is unbearable.” Raising his head to the King, Drustan continued, “But you must understand, these people of yours are not one. They are individuals with choices to make, just as you are. You cannot control who they are, or who they are to become, anymore than they can control you. They must be free to make their own choices. If not,” Drustan dropped his head, “then we, as rulers, are no different than Dralazar.” Standing, Drustan gave a slow nod of acknowledgement before retreating back to his own people.

The King sat staring at the spot Drustan had vacated, thinking for some time before he finally raised his head. With pain in his eyes that all too many in the room understood, he said, “I agree. Proceed Kiora.”

Needing confirmation first, she questioned the King “You are sure than every family has been told everything they need to know? About the prophecy, the history and me?” she prodded.

“Yes.”

Eleana’s voice floated through. “Your people know each other Kiora, they knew you growing up, and they know Layla. If the word has been sent out and they chose your sister, then they have not chosen blindly.”

Kiora swallowed hard. That was the problem, she knew them too and now she was about to leave them to a questionable fate.

“It would have been preferable to have you introduced earlier, so that the people could have witnessed your transformation. But it is too late for that now,” Eleana continued. “And good or evil does not come down to a matter of magic.”

Kiora moved forward in reluctant agreement. “We will go out, tonight. I will need the help of the Shifters. If you accompany me from house to house, those that need to be evacuated can be taken by you, via bubble, out of the village.” She looked to Eleana, “That is, if it is close enough that they can.” Shifters were the not the best bubblers, Kiora remembered.

Eleana hesitated. “Why the Shifters?”

“Because they can look human, it will lessen the people’s fear.”

“Of course. I will find a place within range.”

“Thank you. The Shifters will quietly take the groups to the place that Eleana has designated. Once they are safely hidden, we will all come back here and wait for Dralazar.”

“What of the people we leave here?” demanded a Shifter whose purple hair stood up in spikes on his head. “They will fight us from inside our defenses.”

Emane finally spoke up. “No, they won’t. This people, they know nothing about battle. Although sided with Dralazar, they are not accustomed to violence. My guess? They will run.”

Some of the Shifters looked unsure.

“He is correct,” Eleana assured them. “Evil and murder do not spring forth overnight, it is reached in increments. These people are not there, not yet.”

“But what if one attacks us!?” a Shifter demanded.

“Then,” Kiora paused, her hands shaking, “you do what you must.” As the words spilled forth, her stomach lurched and she thought she would be sick.

***

Although the Shifters had all taken human form, to ease the villager’s fears, Kiora did have to make a few last minute adjustments. “I know you like pink,” she was telling one of the Shifters, “but humans don’t have pink hair.”

“Not ever?” the Shifter asked innocently.

“Not ever. We don’t want someone to start screaming in the middle of the night and alert everyone. Now
please
, a normal color.”

“But you all have such ugly hair,” the Shifter whined. “Black, brown, yellow.”

“There’s red,” Kiora said, trying to be helpful.

The Shifters face brightened. “Red! I like red.” Her hair changed to a brilliant crimson red.

“Not
that
kind of red,” Kiora moaned. “I suppose you better switch to one of the ugly colors, just to be safe.”

The Shifter grumbled, switching her hair to a raven black.

“Drustan was standing back with his arms folded looking very amused. “Well played, My Lady. She never takes criticism well.”

Kiora shook her head. “You left her for me on purpose.”

“Of course, one must see where your skills lie. You are proving to be an exceptional leader.”

Kiora sighed, “I am no leader, Drustan.”

“On the contrary, My Lady,” he gave her a bow then he motioned to another Shifter that was walking by them, “I don’t think that those ears are to regulation either.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake!” Kiora sighed as she went after the pointed-eared human moving through the room.

Drustan watched Kiora, smiling. He didn’t take his eyes off of her when Eleana gracefully approached.

“She is remarkable, Eleana. I have never seen a Solus like her,” said Drustan.

“Nor have I. It begs a few questions,” Eleana sighed.

Drustan’s head snapped back to look at Eleana, an old hope springing forward, “You don’t think that she is…”

She searched his eyes. “Time will tell. Although, as you know, things will be changing one way or the other.”

He nodded gravely, but a spark of excitement ran through him. “The
old
magic.”

“Yes.”

Drustan’s eyes found Kiora again. “I didn’t think I would see it in my lifetime. That would be remarkable if it were true.” His eyes sparkled with possibility. “If the gate could be opened, it would mean…”

“Yes. IF.” Eleana floated away to take her place at the front of the room.

“If I may have your attention, please.” Eleana’s volume did not rise above a normal speaking voice, and yet, somehow her voice swirled and twisted through the room, silencing the rumble.

“As Kiora has told you, we will be bringing the people to the back courtyard of the castle. It is not visible from any part of the village and you can then drop your bubbles, reserving as much magic as possible for the morning. From there, we will be leading them to their new home. Do not move anyone unless they are bubbled. Shifters, you will take turns. You should be able to move one family before having to let your magic return. Have them bring only necessities, and move quickly.”

Kiora spent the night going from house to house, standing outside first and assessing the threads. Once she identified that they were good, she would quietly knock at the door, explain the plan, and assure them that they would be fine. The people’s reactions varied, but all came.

The houses that contained threads that were good thrilled her and gave her some relief that she so desperately needed, but the homes belonging to the followers of Dralazar shredded her.

She stood in front of the door of San and Gwen, who had been friends of her parents. San used to come and help her father with a number of chores, and her father in turn would help them. She remembered him as kind and smiling, and his wife baked the most delicious sweet rolls she had ever eaten. But, standing in front of their door, the threads came through as some of the clearest she had come across. They had sided with Layla, and thus with Dralazar. It was Orrin who stood behind her waiting for the next family. He finally interrupted her thoughts, “Are we taking them?” he asked.

“No,” she said dismally. “We are not.” She wanted to talk with them. Maybe if they saw her... but if she was wrong they would alert Layla, or Dralazar. She couldn’t risk everyone’s life for those of her friends. Despite that, she didn’t move, continuing to look longingly at the door.

Orrin placed his hand on her shoulder and squeezed. “We all lose those we love in war.” Despite the strong set of his shoulder, his eyes were filled with pain.

“Orrin,” she whispered, “I am so sorry.”

He squeezed again, “It is not your fault. Come.” He nodded his head forward. That was enough to get her feet moving, although it didn’t make her feel any better about what they were doing.

Almost at the end of the night she carried a little boy in her arms that couldn’t have been more than three who kept asking her if they were, “Really, really
indivisible.
” It took her a second to figure out that he meant
invisible
. She assured him that they were and couldn’t help wasting a little magic once they arrived at the castle. She set him down and bubbled for him. He screamed in delight and clapped his hands as Kiora vanished.

“Again, again!” he shouted. “Make me indivisible again.”

Kiora bent down and put her fingers to his lips “Shh. I can’t tonight. But next time I see you, I will make you invisible, I promise,” she whispered.

The little boy threw his arms around her neck. “I wuv you!” he announced.

It was very early in the morning when the last family arrived in the courtyard. A little over two thousand men, women and children waited for what was next.

Eleana came up next to Kiora, Emane walking behind. “I need to speak to the both of you for a few minutes before I move the people.” She continued walking with complete assurance that she would be followed.

Kiora and Emane did follow, as expected, weaving into the surrounding forests and disappearing from view. Eleana walked silently ahead, stiff backed. Finally, without warning she stopped and turned. “I train Soluses,” she said suddenly, “and Protectors. I do so because not to would be sending this people and its defenders to slaughter against something that they do not understand. And also perhaps,” she paused, “to amend for my mistakes. However, besides that I do not interfere with the affairs of your people and Dralazar.”

Emane looked a little flabbergasted. “You’re not fighting?” he said, a little stunned.

“No.”

“But… but…” he stuttered. “Why would you allow him to do this, and do nothing?”

She looked to Kiora instead as she answered. “Because I learned a long time ago that others’ lives are not to be interfered with. Sometimes the consequences of interfering can be worse than it otherwise would have been.”

“Is that your explanation!?” Kiora exploded. “You promised that you would tell me everything!”

Emane looked lost.

“No,” Eleana said. “It is not. When this battle is over I will explain everything, just as I promised. But I wanted to let you know…”

“That you would be vanishing during the battle,” Emane interrupted.

Eleana exhaled. “There is so much you do not understand. Kiora, you are more powerful than any other Solus before you. Dralazar’s defeat is in your hands. Emane,” she stretched out her hand. “Come here please.”

Emane walked forward, looking very betrayed.

Eleana pulled up his sleeve, exposing his arm piece and waved her hand over the top muttering words that Kiora could barely hear.

“What was that?” Emane asked looking suspiciously at the snake.

“Extra protection,” she ventured cautiously, “for things that cannot be undone.”