Esra (47 page)

       “It’s no use,” Esra moaned in resignation as her group sat in the Dining Hall during supper, eating little.  “They’re too stubborn.”

       “I agree,” Fynn smashed an enormous Grape into a pulpy mess on the table with his fist.  “Maybe we can capture one of them and hide them in a closet, claim they were eaten by a Brengard.  Heck, maybe we can even really feed them te one.  Although I feel like that would be offensive towards the poor Animal.  Either way they’ll have te let Linae vote.”

       “We need a better plan than kidnapping, tempting as it is,” Baelin sighed.  “We still have one day.  Come on, think.  All we need te do is convince one of them, not both.”

       “But how can we?  Danya and Isak claim that they cannot ‘in good conscience’ commit their people to slaughter in an uncertain battle.  Obviously we’ve gone beyond the point of trying to reason with them.  Cane talked about how arrogant they are, how they are more concerned with having power and prestige than making the right choices.”

       “Maybe we can use that te our advantage,” Baelin said slowly. 

       “What do ye mean?” 

       “Well, they’re both overly concerned with appearances and praise.  Maybe we can convince each of them that the other is going te turn on them tomorrow.  That they will vote te support the cause so that
they alone
will be the ones who receive all the recognition and power.  Then they can go home and tell the Elves that
they
are the reason the races united, that history is being made.”

“But won’t they lose certain powers by joining us?  They would have to share decisions with others regarding the war.”

“They will, but if they feel they were betrayed and would lose out on doing something popular, jealously will be their only concern.”

       “So how do we pull this off?”  Nadia shimmered darkly.

       “We go te each of them separately.  Convince Danya and Isak that we have learned that the other one has secretly decided te vote with Kered, that we are there as a ‘friend’ te let them know.  That the opinion the other has been voicing all along was just a trick te get the other te look weak so they can claim all the glory.”

       “Do you think that would work?  That they would be so foolish?”

       “I don’t know but at least we can try and use their arrogance against themselves.  Does anyone have a better idea?”

       “Arland,” Esra turned to her friend, “do ye think ye can make them dream something about this as well?  Maybe make what we’re saying into a reality in their head.  Play a scene where the other person votes with Kered against them and receives all sorts of praise and power.  I remember how real that dream ye gave to me felt.  It was very powerful.”

       “Great idea, Es, the Bracelet of Dreams,” Fynn bounced up and down in his chair vigorously.  “It seems so silly, but then again we are proving te be masters of the impossible.  We just won’t tell Cane the specifics of it all.  If anyone ever found out we used magick te sway a Council Member, even an idiot one, we’ll have our britches te pay.  This might actually work.  And we only need one of them te believe it.”

       “Let’s do the same thing as before,” Nadia suggested.  “Send a woman to Isak and a man to Danya.  Should we go in groups again?”

       “No, I think it better that someone goes alone,” Baelin asserted. “Make it seem like we are taking a big chance te go and tell them, that it’s our secret.  And we don’t want te give the impression that our Assembly is conspiring against them, they might get suspicious.”

       “Then I think I should go,” Nadia offered.  “I can make up a story about how I was using my stealth when I ‘accidentally’ stumbled upon Danya talking with Kered about voting together.”

       “That’s good.  And Arland, maybe ye can go te Danya.  Use some of yer charm te help the situation a bit.  We can work on the dream bit later.”

       As her Assembly dispersed, Esra felt more at peace than she had in the last couple of days, even after hearing that Zakai and Prince Bronnen had joined with them.  Maybe this plan was crazy, but it was something.  And like Baelin said, they only needed one of them to believe it. 

       She waited up all night, knowing that Nadia and Arland had made sure that the “secret informant” trips had happened well beyond the guise of darkness and any spying eyes.  It also gave them less time to think things through and more of an opportunity for their anger to gain impulsive momentum.  Hopefully, by the time they fell into a restless sleep, Arland’s dream would be the final straw to their jealous frenzy.

       “How did it go?” Esra bolted upright in her bed and staggered to the entrance of her bedroom at the first creak of the front door.

       “I figured ye’d still be up,” Nadia chuckled, shimmering towards Esra’s room and taking a seat at the desk.  “I actually think it went fairly well, Isak seemed pretty upset.
That slithering snake of a woman dare betray me,
was the way he put it.”

       “What about Arland, did ye see him?”

       “No.  Let’s see if he’s done.”

       Esra sent a Tur message and a short moment later a reply appeared on her arm.

      
Went well.  She didn’t believe me at first, her pride I believe.  But then her face got so red I thought she may burst into flames right before me.  She didn’t say much, but I know she was beyond angry.

       They both laughed at the picture of the short, plump Elf woman’s face growing redder than a Huckfly as Nadia sent back a message describing her encounter.

       “And they both should be having some very interesting and vivid dreams tonight, don’t forget.”

       “Aye.  Do ye think that they will suspect Arland?  Could he get in trouble?”

       “Not likely.  They have no idea that’s one of his Gifts, and even if they did there’s no way to prove he had anything to do with it.  Besides, they will probably be so focused on each other that a dream will be the least of their worries by tomorrow.”

       “Well, I suppose we’ve done all we can, haven’t we,” Esra sighed.

       “Aye, that we have.”  Nadia patted her shoulder reassuringly and shimmered towards the door.  “Whatever happens tomorrow, I’m proud of all our Assembly has accomplished.  Everything the races have accomplished.  At least fer now we have three of the races and the Keepers standing together against Tallen.  We’ll figure everything out one way or another.  We have to.  The future of the Kingdom depends on it.”

XLIII

       Esra awoke in the early afternoon, both surprised and grateful that she had been able to sleep so long.  Nadia had risen just before her and they both headed towards the Dining Hall for some noonmeal-breakfast, followed directly by a trip to the Library to meet her Assembly.  Esra was attempting to read up on the history of the Stronghold, but after reading the same paragraph five times she defeatedly put down the book and began to pace back and forth.  Everyone was on edge, speaking little and lounging about in nervous contemplation.  Even her calm blacksmith friend seemed a little uneasy.

When it was finally time to walk together to the Great Hall, Esra was almost sick with fear.  They marched in silence up the long, low stairs and through the Naduri River doors.  The Council was still in session, so they took a seat next to each other on the marble benches in the foyer.  The space slowly filled with other Keepers, all anxious to hear the results of the vote.

Long minutes passed and still no one spoke.  Everyone seemed lost in their own world of reverie, the air hanging thick with tension.  It seemed to Esra that the Council would never leave their room, that they would be waiting outside forever.  When the heavy wooden doors finally swung open, everyone sat up with a start, eyes wide in anticipation.

Zakai and the Daughter swept past so quickly that Esra couldn’t even catch a glimpse of their faces.  The rest of the Council members exited the hall slowly, speaking in low, tired tones.  Danya and Isak seemed slightly bewildered, wandering in silence as if they had just been hit by Nadia’s Necklace of Stunning.  Esra caught sight of her father as Adonis lurched towards them, a grin spreading to his rosy cheeks. 

“The vote passed,” he said breathlessly. “It was unanimous!”

A great gust of air left Esra’s lungs as she deflated back into her seat.  The dread that had been slowly building in her chest finally released and she felt noticeably lighter.  Talitha joined her husband with a look of contained excitement.  The vote had passed.  The races would unite in a war against Tallen.

“Jumping jig,” she muttered, standing to give her mother and father a strong hug.  Cane swept over to where they were gathered and took her hand in a rare show of affection.

“Both Danya and Isak voted in favor of an alliance.  I’m not sure how ye did it, but ye did.  Then again, I don’t think I want to know.  No, I don’t.  Please don’t tell me.”

“Well, we didn’t threaten them if that’s what yer thinking,” Esra laughed.  “Not that we weren’t tempted, believe me.  We just outwitted them.”

“I’m very glad to hear that.  Tomorrow we begin to make preparations fer the defense of LeVara and determine the details of our strategy.  Prince Bronnen will be sending his first attendant Cailean back to The King’s Hold by Skycatcher to gather as many stoneworkers as possible. The Prince remains behind to assist in the defense planning.  Mox and Shova will also be leaving immediately fer Fira Nadim to enlist more commanders to train the Humans.  Although he is needed here, Zakai will go with them since he feels it is greatly important to tell his people this news in person, and I must say I agree.  The Daughter will return to Ember Isle to prepare her army of women warriors and Pura beasts.  The Elders will send their attendants back with all haste to The Veiled City.  Isak and Danya have volunteered to join them, although this is certainly fer the attention they will receive upon arrival.  Linae and Kered will remain at the Stronghold.”

“I can’t believe it,” Esra whispered in astonishment.  “This is really happening.  The races are uniting.  We are going to war.”

“Aye, that we are,” Cane stated proudly, turning to look over Esra and her Assembly. “That we are.”

It was a long time before the excitement died down in the foyer and everyone reluctantly but joyfully parted ways.  Esra left the Great Hall slowly, stopping at the top of the marble stairs.  Baelin, Fynn, Nadia and Arland silently joined her as they watched the last slice of an orange Sun sink into the quiet earth.  Esra had a fleeting thought that maybe this would be the last peaceful moment she would have in a long while.  A long and treacherous road lay ahead.  This war was going to be unlike anything the Kingdom had ever seen.  She didn’t even want to think about all the people that we going to die, that already had.  But for now, Esra stood tall next to her new friends, her people, and knew that they would not be alone.  For the first time in generations the races had been united.  The people of LeVara were going to fight for freedom, and they would stand, or fall, as one.

The End

of

Book One

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I am proud to be a 28 year old self-proclaimed nerd with a lifetime love of reading.  You can find me in the beautiful countryside of Northeast Ohio with my husband, new baby boy, and two dogs.  I’m currently working on book two of the series.

There is no better feeling than escaping into the alternate reality of a good book, and so I was inspired to create a reality of my own.  Not an easy thing for someone with the literary resume equivalent to that of a grapefruit.  (In other words, besides the smiley stickers on my homework, I have no experience.  Zip.  Zilch.  Nada.)   After a few crazy years of writing in any spare moments I could find, and doing practically everything they tell a new author not to do, this piece has finally culminated into something I can be proud of.  

In addition, I am probably the only person on earth that has never had a facebook page.  In fact, maybe more than earth, since I heard some of the microorganisms they found on Mars are up to 2,000 friends now.  And I’m not quite sure what a “hashtag” is except it sounds like something I’d eat on a breakfast sandwich.  You get the idea.

But alas, I have given in to modern technology just for you!  So please come join me on facebook (@Esra) and give me your two cents.  Or more if you can afford it.  I am a struggling writer, after all.  No, but seriously, give it to me straight.  And then “like” me, or whatever you whippersnappers do.