efforts made a dramatic difference to our success. The outcome will be felt for days and perhaps weeks to come. It has also affected both of you.”
That was an understatement. If he had wanted Teya before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. How could he acknowledge this attraction and not fulfill his desires? Something extraordinary had happened during the ceremony. Something he had no words to explain or ever felt before. As he searched within himself, he knew it was more than a connection with Teya. He felt changed somehow. What had Leona and Teya done to him?
“I have prepared a few things for you to take,” Leona said. She pulled a small set of pipes from her pocket and handed them to Bran. “This will protect you from the Destroyer when you cross back. I meant to send them with you today when you checked on the perimeter, but I forgot. I trust all went well?”
“Yes.” He could hardly remember his close call, and didn’t see the need to tell her what had happened at this point.
“Good. All that remains is for you to find our people and bring them back. I will keep the grove safe as long as I can, but I fear I am fading. Tonight proved it to me. I saw the White City and it was no longer a vision, it was real, and it called to me. It was difficult to return here. Next time, I might not be able to.”
“What is the White City?” Bran asked, trying to focus. Is that what he’d glimpsed?
“It is our true home. When my work here is done, I will return there. You must understand. Kalorians are not quite human. Come, let’s get you back to the cottage.”
Bran sighed, suddenly tired and sleepy. She took his arm and led him away. He followed in a daze, listening to her but unable to comprehend everything she said. She led him to his bed and helped him remove his jacket and boots. As she continued, her voice seemed to echo around him.
“Tonight, you will sleep peacefully. Tomorrow, I will send you with as much water as I can. Drink it for extra strength and it will protect you. If you find Korban, it would be best if you killed him. Now, go to sleep and rest peacefully.”
Bran didn’t remember lying down, only that the soft pillow cushioned his head and a sweet melody filled his senses. He tried to think. Wasn’t there a question? It was too hard to remember. He fought the haze that settled over him but his body was filled with a languor he couldn’t resist and, after a brief struggle, he quit trying.
Chapter 4
Bran woke to the sound of chirping birds and dappled sunlight on his face. He sat up to clear his head. He didn’t remember lying down on the bed or much of anything after the ceremony. Except for the jacket and his boots, he still wore the clothes Leona had given him from the night before. His pack and regular clothes sat beside him, freshly cleaned and ready to wear.
With a huff and a nagging sense of irritation, he quickly changed into them. He tried to remember how he got to the cottage, but the events of last night seemed more like a dream, and he couldn’t explain it with words. He felt suspiciously out of control, mostly because he knew that Leona had used her magic to make him sleep. What if it wasn’t the first time she’d done it? That thought bothered him even more.
He gathered all of his things together and left the clothes from Leona behind. Even if he was meant to keep them, he didn’t have room in his bags. To his relief, he found Teya at the table, filling two goblets with water.
Dressed in traveling clothes he hadn’t seen before, she took his breath away. With a simple pale blue shirt covered by a black tunic, and black pants tucked into her boots and a belt around her waist, he found her more alluring than ever. The shirt even managed to make her sapphire eyes seem bluer and gave her dark hair a glossy sheen.
She smiled shyly at him and his heart skipped a beat. Magic or not, he couldn’t deny his strong attraction to her, and was glad that at least
That was an understatement. If he had wanted Teya before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. How could he acknowledge this attraction and not fulfill his desires? Something extraordinary had happened during the ceremony. Something he had no words to explain or ever felt before. As he searched within himself, he knew it was more than a connection with Teya. He felt changed somehow. What had Leona and Teya done to him?
“I have prepared a few things for you to take,” Leona said. She pulled a small set of pipes from her pocket and handed them to Bran. “This will protect you from the Destroyer when you cross back. I meant to send them with you today when you checked on the perimeter, but I forgot. I trust all went well?”
“Yes.” He could hardly remember his close call, and didn’t see the need to tell her what had happened at this point.
“Good. All that remains is for you to find our people and bring them back. I will keep the grove safe as long as I can, but I fear I am fading. Tonight proved it to me. I saw the White City and it was no longer a vision, it was real, and it called to me. It was difficult to return here. Next time, I might not be able to.”
“What is the White City?” Bran asked, trying to focus. Is that what he’d glimpsed?
“It is our true home. When my work here is done, I will return there. You must understand. Kalorians are not quite human. Come, let’s get you back to the cottage.”
Bran sighed, suddenly tired and sleepy. She took his arm and led him away. He followed in a daze, listening to her but unable to comprehend everything she said. She led him to his bed and helped him remove his jacket and boots. As she continued, her voice seemed to echo around him.
“Tonight, you will sleep peacefully. Tomorrow, I will send you with as much water as I can. Drink it for extra strength and it will protect you. If you find Korban, it would be best if you killed him. Now, go to sleep and rest peacefully.”
Bran didn’t remember lying down, only that the soft pillow cushioned his head and a sweet melody filled his senses. He tried to think. Wasn’t there a question? It was too hard to remember. He fought the haze that settled over him but his body was filled with a languor he couldn’t resist and, after a brief struggle, he quit trying.
Chapter 4
Bran woke to the sound of chirping birds and dappled sunlight on his face. He sat up to clear his head. He didn’t remember lying down on the bed or much of anything after the ceremony. Except for the jacket and his boots, he still wore the clothes Leona had given him from the night before. His pack and regular clothes sat beside him, freshly cleaned and ready to wear.
With a huff and a nagging sense of irritation, he quickly changed into them. He tried to remember how he got to the cottage, but the events of last night seemed more like a dream, and he couldn’t explain it with words. He felt suspiciously out of control, mostly because he knew that Leona had used her magic to make him sleep. What if it wasn’t the first time she’d done it? That thought bothered him even more.
He gathered all of his things together and left the clothes from Leona behind. Even if he was meant to keep them, he didn’t have room in his bags. To his relief, he found Teya at the table, filling two goblets with water.
Dressed in traveling clothes he hadn’t seen before, she took his breath away. With a simple pale blue shirt covered by a black tunic, and black pants tucked into her boots and a belt around her waist, he found her more alluring than ever. The shirt even managed to make her sapphire eyes seem bluer and gave her dark hair a glossy sheen.
She smiled shyly at him and his heart skipped a beat. Magic or not, he couldn’t deny his strong attraction to her, and was glad that at least
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