Source Of The River (12 page)

A
fter leaving
Yiranor’s tower, Telorithan decided to pay Sirra a visit as well. Her presence
was not wholly intolerable, and she had her moments of brilliance. If she
couldn’t provide real assistance, she could at least be useful in spreading the
news of his success. He did not personally wish to be bothered with questions,
so she would be the perfect person to carry the news of his triumph to the
world. Once he managed to bind a god, he would no longer need any other elf.
Until the process was perfected, however, he would be wise to seek counsel from
other accomplished sorcerers.

Letting himself
into her tower without knocking, he surprised a female servant with his presence.

“Tell your mistress
I am here,” he said.

The elf curtsied
before running up the stairs to find Sirra.

“Telorithan?” Sirra
said, coming down the stairs. “I am surprised to see you.”

“I was unkind to
you during our last visit,” he admitted. He spoke matter-of-factly, his voice
showing no hint of regret.

“Yes, you were,”
she replied, crossing her arms. “I suppose you have been under stress. I’m glad
you have come.” She managed a smile and came to his side at the bottom of the
stairs.

Pulling the large
sapphire from his pocket, he presented it to Sirra. “Yiranor has graced me with
this gorgeous gem,” he said, pride filling his voice. “With this I will bind
the water elemental.”

“The elemental you
had no knowledge of until I told you about him,” Sirra remarked. Her voice was
smug. Telorithan was not quick to show his gratitude, and she yearned for him
to appreciate her. Her physical attraction to him could not be denied, and she
knew he was attracted to her as well. Getting him to show it was not always
easy.

“You did indeed,”
he admitted. “Without you, I might still be searching.” He reached for her hand
and pressed it against his lips. His blue eyes locked on hers, and she blushed
at his unusually tender gesture.

“You are a unique
elf,” she said, allowing herself to relax. “Why have you come?”

“Why, to see you of
course.” A mischievous grin appeared on his lips. Flattery usually worked
easily on Sirra. She was a beautiful woman who loved to capture a man’s
attention. Telorithan knew how strongly she felt for him, and he was willing to
take advantage of that.

She gave him a sly
look as she attempted to read his true motives. “I know better,” she said. “You
have never been one to make a social call. Tell me what you need of me.”

“I need your mind,
Sirra,” he said, walking away. He took a seat on one of her opulent chairs,
tossing a velvet cushion to the floor. Sirra had a flare for decorating, and
her tower was filled with too many pillows on too many pieces of furniture.

Taking a seat next
to him and pressing her body into his, she said, “I’d love to help you.” Her
words were quiet, almost whispered into his ear. She could feel his anxiety,
his normal cocky air being strangely absent. Perhaps he wasn’t as perfect as he
tried to present himself. He was doubting his abilities and had come to her for
reassurance.

“I need practice,”
he admitted. “I’ve bound only one elf, and elementals are quite powerful.” He
looked at the floor as if speaking to himself. “I cannot fail. I might not get
a second chance.”

Sirra ran her
fingers over his silver hair and nestled her face into the curve of his neck.
He closed his eyes, enjoying her warmth. Her presence was comforting to his
troubled mind. Though he normally preferred solitude, Sirra had a way of
endearing herself to him at times. Today, he was glad to have her at his side.

An idea came to
Sirra’s mind. “You could challenge another master to a duel,” she suggested.
“If you win, you can bind his essence.”

Slightly offended,
he replied, “
If
I win? You mean
when.
”

“Of course,” she
said, not wanting to argue.

“The practice is
banned. Have you forgotten?” He shook his head at her foolishness. “If I am
seen binding the essence of anyone, I’ll be exiled. The entire crowd could turn
on me. Even I couldn’t defend against hundreds of attackers.”

“I’ve never seen
the process,” she replied. “Neither has any other elf on these islands. How are
you so sure they’ll know what you’re doing?”

“It isn’t a pretty
process,” he said, remembering the agony of the thief. “The crowd will catch on
quickly when they see it.”

Sirra thought for a
moment. “I guess there’s only one other way, then.”

Telorithan stared
at her, waiting for her to finish her thought.

“You’ll have to
murder someone.” She spoke casually as if it was nothing. “You’ve taken lives
before, so do it again.”

Telorithan briefly
remembered the faces of the bandits who attacked his classmates many years ago.
He had made short work of killing them. His anger had not ended there, and
others were caught in his wrath. This time was different. He would have time to
plan rather than acting on instinct. With the essence of another master at his
command, he should have enough power to best the elemental in battle. Sirra’s
idea was brilliant.

“I would be
delighted to assist you,” she said, her fingers caressing his face. “We’ll find
someone elderly who won’t put up too much of a fight.”

His eyes narrowed
as his anger rose. “You think me incapable of besting a sorcerer with full
strength?”

“Not at all,” she
said softly. “You showed me that the elemental is on the move. You might have
to leave at a moment’s notice, and you don’t want your power to be drained when
you meet him. Let me do most of the work, and you can handle the binding.”

Sirra’s calculating
mind impressed him. He had not considered his own power stores. It was true
that the elemental was on the move, and he had no idea when they would eventually
come to blows. “I accept your offer,” he said.

“Good,” she
replied. “Now all that remains is to decide who is dead.”

A
fter a long day’s
walk, the group decided to make camp for the night. The sun was setting fast
behind the mountains, and the air was growing cooler. They had reached the
sparse evergreen forest that sat above the base of the mountain. There was only
a small amount of fallen wood available for a fire.

“I can create sparks from the air to make fire,
but I’m afraid there isn’t enough wood here,” Kaiya explained. “I think it’s
going to be a cold night.” She looked up at the pale, glowing moon.

“There are plenty
of rocks,” Galen said with a shrug. “We’ll use those.”

Placing what little
wood she could find within a circle of rocks, Kaiya closed her eyes and focused
on the wind. As the sparks appeared at her fingertips, she flung them onto the
wood. A small fire was born, crackling itself to life.

“I’m afraid it
won’t last long,” she said.

River knelt at her
side and placed his hands upon the rocks surrounding the fire. Blue magic
emitted from his hands, giving the rocks a soft sapphire glow. As Kaiya sat
intrigued, the magic spread over the wood, changing the orange fire to blue.

“It will last all
night,” River said with a smile.

Kaiya held her
hands near the fire to warm them. To her surprise, her entire body felt warmed,
not just her hands. Though the fire was quite small, it produced heat to rival
a campfire five times its size.

“You’ll have to
teach me that one,” she said, laughing.

“He has lots of
tricks,” Galen said, taking a seat next to her. “This particular one is nothing
more than elf magic, though.”

“So I can’t learn
it since I’m a dwarf?” Kaiya took the comment as a challenge. She had always
made an effort to do what people said she couldn’t.

“Kaiya can pull the
warmth from the air to create fire,” River commented. “She simply hasn’t tried
yet.”

He was right. Kaiya
hadn’t journeyed away from home without her father before. He knew how to build
a fire, and he always traveled prepared. She had never had the need for such
magic. The idea of pulling the wind’s energy to create fire hadn’t occurred to
her.

“If you haven’t
seen me do it, how do you know I can?” She wondered how he could be so
knowledgeable about her abilities. They hadn’t known each other long, yet he
seemed to understand her magic perhaps better than she understood it herself.
“Maybe you can also tell me why I can do magic when no other dwarf seems
capable of the simplest spells.”

“You are more special
than you realize, Kaiya,” River said.

“I’ve never had any
training,” she admitted. “I listen to the wind, and the magic comes to me.” She
had never understood the process, but she had accepted it gladly. Even small
feats of magic could lift her spirits when she was sad. There was something
about magic that could always cheer her, as if it were a friend to keep her
company.

“You will have many
long years to learn,” he replied.

“Maybe for a
dwarf,” she said. “Elves have many more years to learn than we do.”

“Your life will
extend far beyond that of an average dwarf. I can see it.”

Kaiya looked up at
him, her eyes widening. “What do you mean?”

“Your magic grants
you the lifespan of the First Ones,” he explained. “You will have to decide
when you are ready to cross over.”

“The First Ones?”
she asked.

“My kind.”

“So I’ll outlive
everyone I care about,” she said with sorrow. She thought of her mother and
father and even her dog Doozle. It was expected that she would outlive all of
them, but she hadn’t considered what it would be like to be alone. How many
generations would she see come and go? “How long do your kind live?”

“It depends,” he
replied. “Most of us cross over after about five thousand years. Some feel the
urge to leave sooner, and others have stayed longer.” He turned to face her.
“It’s a choice, Kaiya.”

She swallowed,
feeling a lump in her throat. Staring into the fire, she asked, “Can you really
see my future?”

“Some of it, yes,”
he admitted.

“I don’t have the
gift of foresight,” she said with regret. “I might have prevented the plague
before it began if I had such a gift.”

“I doubt you could
have prevented anything,” he said. “The gift of foresight is new to me. I fear
what I might see in times to come.” It was certain that he would see many unpleasant
things to come in the world of N
ō
l’Deron, and he did not look forward to those events. Since coming of age,
he had seen only a few events. All of them had been pleasant. In time, however,
he would begin to see things he did not wish to see. He feared that someday he
might see the loss of friends or the destruction of the Vale. He placed those
worries far from his mind, knowing it would do no good to fear such things now.
Whatever was yet to come, he would deal with it as it showed itself.

“I’m not sure I
like the idea of deciding when to end my own life,” Kaiya said.
How do
people choose when they’re ready for their life to be over?
Looking to her
left, she noticed that Galen had wrapped himself in his blanket and had fallen
asleep next to the fire.
That’s why he’s been so quiet,
she thought,
chuckling silently to herself. She pulled her blanket around her shoulders to
block out the cool night air.

“You should visit
the Vale someday,” River said. “Perhaps one of the elders can assist you with
your magic.”

“I think I’d like
that,” she replied. The elves could probably teach her many other things in
addition to magic. In her mind, she pictured the Vale as a land of enchantment.
She wondered if the wind spoke louder there. After yawning twice, she said, “I guess
we should try to get some sleep.” She curled up next to the fire, falling
asleep within seconds.

River sat silently
by the fire as darkness crept through the mountains, enveloping the world in
night. From the flames, he sensed the presence of magic. Watchful eyes were
observing him, their intentions unclear. They were unfamiliar to him, not the
eyes of a worried father. Somewhere, a magical being was keeping track of him.
Even the darkness could not shield him from its gaze.

R
acing up the
twisted staircase with Sirra a few steps behind, Telorithan felt exhilarated.
He entered the laboratory and chose a sparkling amethyst gemstone to hold the
essence of his victim. The pair had decided on an elderly elf by the name of
Master Koru. At nearly twenty-eight hundred years of age, he was already past
the life expectancy of most Enlightened Elves. In his prime, he had wielded
great power. In death, he would share that power with Telorithan.

Koru’s tower was less than a mile from Telorithan’s
home. It was likely no one would notice him during the short journey. Having
been present at an inquest against Telorithan some centuries ago, Koru had
voted in favor of his imprisonment. With such a motive in place, Telorithan was
determined to make his death appear natural, thus avoiding suspicion.

Sirra had agreed to assist, even if that meant
dealing the deathblow herself. Her level of excitement was high, and her eyes
gleamed with anticipation. She wondered how it would feel to hold another elf’s
essence in her hands. Such thoughts only increased her craving, giving her a
wild, savage feeling.

Telorithan remained calm and composed. His heart
was racing, but he did not show it outwardly. Though his prey was elderly, he
still might fight back. Sirra would have to be prepared to step in to preserve Telorithan’s
magical supply. He couldn’t risk exhaustion. If his magic were depleted, he
would have no chance of binding the elemental should he be forced to confront
it. He must use as little of his own power as possible.

He passed the gem to Sirra, allowing her to admire
it. Pressing it to her lips, she said, “A kiss for luck.”

“We won’t need luck,” he scoffed. “All I need is
you to keep your promise.”

“Of course I shall,” she replied. Giving him a
wicked smile, she placed the gem back in his hand. “I am yours,” she said
seductively.

“There’s no point in waiting any longer,” he said.
“We have what we need.”

He took her by the hand as they descended the staircase
and exited the tower. There were no other elves to be seen in the streets as
they walked toward the elderly master’s tower. Sirra would have to gain entry
while Telorithan remained unseen. No one would accuse Sirra of murder. She was
well liked, even though she had been seen in Telorithan’s company on many
occasions. No doubt most of her friends felt sorry for her. She was pursuing a
man who would never return her affections.

Stepping to the side of the tower, he hid himself
from the sight of any servants who would be standing near the entrance. Sirra
grasped the large brass ring on the front of the door and struck it once
against the wood. A servant answered almost instantly.

“May I help you?” the petite elf asked.

“I’ve come to pay a visit to Master Koru. Is he
in?”

“Yes, Mistress,” the girl replied. “May I tell him
who is visiting?”

“I am Dahlia,” Sirra lied. If this servant did not
know her identity, there was no reason to divulge the truth.

“Have a seat in the waiting area,” the servant
instructed.

Sirra stepped inside, pretending to close the door
behind her. The servant disappeared up the stairs, and Sirra quickly turned to
motion Telorithan inside. Making sure no one was watching, he glanced to each
side before entering the tower. Immediately he hid himself behind the heavy
velvet drapes that adorned a large window.

The servant descended the stairs to find Sirra
standing casually near the door. “I’m sorry, Mistress,” she began. “He doesn’t
recognize your name. At his age, his memory isn’t all that good. I expect he’ll
recognize your face when he sees you. Fifth floor at the end of the hall.” She
curtsied and stepped aside to allow Sirra access to the staircase.

“Thank you,” Sirra replied, placing a hand on the
railing.

Telorithan peeked from the curtains and watched
the servant turn away. As she disappeared down a corridor, he tiptoed to the
staircase to join Sirra. He was not a fan of sneaking around, but if he were seen
on the day of Koru’s death, there would certainly be an inquiry into the
matter. Koru was a former member of the Grand Council, and he had many friends.
Telorithan, on the other hand, was disliked almost universally. He had escaped
punishment for crimes on a few occasions, and many believed him guilty of
murder. He was a dangerous elf to be near.

Master Koru sat propped on his bed. He had taken
ill a few days earlier, but he seemed to be on the mend. The color had returned
to his wrinkled face, and he had managed to eat breakfast that morning. It
seemed he was not prepared for the grave just yet.

He eyed Sirra suspiciously as she entered the
room. It was obvious he did not know her. When Telorithan stepped in behind
her, he was recognized immediately.

“You,” Koru said, anger filling his eyes. “What
are you doing here?” Their dealings in the past had not been pleasant. Koru had
sat on the Grand Council when Telorithan was charged with murdering three
classmates. The evidence had been unreliable, and Telorithan was acquitted.
Koru, however, believed him to be guilty and lucky to escape justice.

“I’ve come for a visit, dear friend,” Telorithan
said mockingly.

Without giving the elderly elf a chance to react,
Telorithan extended his hands, shooting an orange beam of light at his victim.
The old man was paralyzed instantly, his face twisted in agony.

Telorithan stepped closer, still maintaining the
spell. “You wanted to send me into exile all those years ago,” he said. “All
these years you have hated me. Now you will hate me for eternity.” He lifted
the gemstone from his pocket and presented it before Koru’s eyes.

Koru knew exactly what Telorithan intended. The
practice of soul binding was banned, but a criminal would not abide by such
laws. Koru had seen the process used in his youth, and he had never forgotten
it.

Sirra stepped forward to take over the spell. Dark-green
magic replaced the orange as she held Koru in place. Telorithan readied the gem
and sent a beam of purple light into the old man’s heart. As Koru attempted to
struggle, Sirra’s magic spread over his face, covering his nose and mouth. The
paralysis spell was lifted, allowing her to focus only on suffocating her
victim. He kicked wildly as he struggled to find his breath. His green eyes
pleaded with the dark-haired woman, vainly hoping she would stop this madness
and spare his life.

After a moment, he ceased his struggle, the life
draining from his body. Telorithan’s eyes stared greedily as the old elf’s
essence traveled toward the gem he held in his hands. As it found its way
inside, the stone vibrated uncontrollably. In an instant, it shattered, cutting
deep gashes into his hand. Instinctively, he grabbed it to stop the bleeding,
his mind in shock at his failure. Sirra rushed to his side, using her magic to
seal the wounds.

“The gem,” he said, dumbfounded. He looked at its
remains lying on the ground. It was little more than dust. “I’ve failed,” he
said quietly. “The gem is destroyed.”

Sirra tried to comfort him. “The gem was likely
flawed,” she suggested.

“No,” he replied, his face becoming hot. “This is
your fault. You were too long in killing him.”

Sirra was stunned by his accusation. “I did
everything I could,” she said, trying to keep her voice down. The last thing
they needed were nosy servants poking their heads in. “We need to get out of
here.”

With a wave of his hand, Telorithan collected the
remains of the amethyst. Sirra took them in her hands and led the way down the
staircase. Luckily, the servant had not returned, and the pair left the tower
in silence.

The sun was high overhead, but still the streets
remained empty. Sirra was grateful for the solitude. Telorithan walked as if in
a trance, unable to accept that the procedure had failed. Slowly they
approached his tower and stepped inside.

Sirra wrapped her arms around him and said, “We
will try again.” She tried to sound encouraging. “I’ll do whatever it takes to
ensure your success next time.” In her clenched hand, she still held the
remains of the amethyst. She opened her palm to let him inspect them.

Staring at the purple remnants, he said, “You’re
right. The gem was flawed.” He placed a hand against his forehead. “How could I
have missed that!” he screamed in frustration. Turning away from Sirra, he
picked up a wine bottle and threw it into the fireplace, smashing it to pieces.
The light of the flames within caught his eye, and he stared into their
hypnotic glow.