ill.”
“Have you seen this presence?” River asked.
“I have,” she admitted. “I went inside the cave to
figure out what was going on. I saw the apparition of an elf woman, and she
attacked me. There was nothing I could do to stop her.”
Galen’s eyes went wide. “Do you think she means to
kill them?”
“She’s already killed one,” River replied. “We
have to find out why she is here and how we can convince her to leave.”
“What do you mean she has already killed?” Kaiya
asked, her eyes showing concern. “I know of no one dying from this sickness.”
“Forgive me,” River said. “The body of one of your
kinsmen came over the waterfall into the Vale. That is how I knew you needed
help.”
“Jeb,” she whispered. “He was missing.” Though she
had not known him well, Kaiya’s heart sank for Jeb’s family. “We have to stop
this before others are lost.” Determination replaced her sorrow. “I will take
you to the village. Don’t expect them to be welcoming. They are ignorant when
it comes to magic, and some of them think I had a hand in this.”
“Did you?” Galen asked.
“No,” she replied, shocked by the question. “Of
course I didn’t.”
“Good,” he replied. “Now that we’ve gotten that
question out of the way, we can all be friends.” He smiled and laid a hand on
her shoulder. “Lead on.”
She shook her head, realizing that Galen had not
meant any offense. “Only a few of my kinsmen have seen elves before. This
meeting could be interesting.”
“Let’s hope it isn’t disastrous,” Galen said,
laughing.
Galen had no idea how correct his statement might
prove. The dwarves of Kaiya’s village had no use for magic, and three magical
beings appearing in this time of fear might lead to trouble.
Chapter 19
L eading the
elves across the green field, Kaiya traveled at an easy pace. She was not in a
hurry to encounter the townsfolk, and she knew the elves could not expect a
warm welcome. She pointed to the farmhouse as they passed by. “I live there,”
she told them.
“It’s a lovely
home,” Lenora commented, stepping forward to walk next to Kaiya.
Doozle spotted the
group from a distance and ran toward them, bounding over the tall stalks of prairie
grass. His mouth was open, giving the best doggish smile he could manage. The
group paused, allowing him to sniff at them until he was content.
River knelt to
stroke the dog’s soft fur. “Aren’t you a friendly one?” he asked.
Doozle sat proudly and
barked once in response.
Kaiya hugged the
happy dog and said, “You have to stay here, Doozle. There could be trouble, and
I don’t want you in the middle of it.”
Doozle whined
softly, his eyes begging to join his friend.
“Not this time,”
she said, shaking her head. “Go to Papa in the fields,” she commanded, pointing.
“Go on.”
With one bark,
Doozle turned and headed back across the field.
“Do elves have
dogs?” she asked curiously.
Lenora replied, “We
have only the animals of the forest. They live freely and don’t need us to care
for them.”
“I suppose that’s
nice,” she said. “You might be missing out though.” Kaiya couldn’t imagine not
having Doozle around. He’d been her companion for many years.
They continued along
the path until they reached the village. The blacksmith’s hammer was already
audible in the distance, ringing in time with their steps. It was nearly
midday, and the town was alive with activity. Kaiya hoped that most of the
miners had found work in a different cave for the time being. She didn’t want
to have too large a crowd greeting them as they entered the village.
At the edge of
town, Kaiya could see a large tent had been set up near the marketplace. “That
must be where they’re keeping the sick,” she said.
“Lenora is a
healer,” Galen said, noticing Kaiya’s concerned expression.
“I’ll do whatever I
can to help them,” Lenora said reassuringly.
“This is a
“Have you seen this presence?” River asked.
“I have,” she admitted. “I went inside the cave to
figure out what was going on. I saw the apparition of an elf woman, and she
attacked me. There was nothing I could do to stop her.”
Galen’s eyes went wide. “Do you think she means to
kill them?”
“She’s already killed one,” River replied. “We
have to find out why she is here and how we can convince her to leave.”
“What do you mean she has already killed?” Kaiya
asked, her eyes showing concern. “I know of no one dying from this sickness.”
“Forgive me,” River said. “The body of one of your
kinsmen came over the waterfall into the Vale. That is how I knew you needed
help.”
“Jeb,” she whispered. “He was missing.” Though she
had not known him well, Kaiya’s heart sank for Jeb’s family. “We have to stop
this before others are lost.” Determination replaced her sorrow. “I will take
you to the village. Don’t expect them to be welcoming. They are ignorant when
it comes to magic, and some of them think I had a hand in this.”
“Did you?” Galen asked.
“No,” she replied, shocked by the question. “Of
course I didn’t.”
“Good,” he replied. “Now that we’ve gotten that
question out of the way, we can all be friends.” He smiled and laid a hand on
her shoulder. “Lead on.”
She shook her head, realizing that Galen had not
meant any offense. “Only a few of my kinsmen have seen elves before. This
meeting could be interesting.”
“Let’s hope it isn’t disastrous,” Galen said,
laughing.
Galen had no idea how correct his statement might
prove. The dwarves of Kaiya’s village had no use for magic, and three magical
beings appearing in this time of fear might lead to trouble.
Chapter 19
L eading the
elves across the green field, Kaiya traveled at an easy pace. She was not in a
hurry to encounter the townsfolk, and she knew the elves could not expect a
warm welcome. She pointed to the farmhouse as they passed by. “I live there,”
she told them.
“It’s a lovely
home,” Lenora commented, stepping forward to walk next to Kaiya.
Doozle spotted the
group from a distance and ran toward them, bounding over the tall stalks of prairie
grass. His mouth was open, giving the best doggish smile he could manage. The
group paused, allowing him to sniff at them until he was content.
River knelt to
stroke the dog’s soft fur. “Aren’t you a friendly one?” he asked.
Doozle sat proudly and
barked once in response.
Kaiya hugged the
happy dog and said, “You have to stay here, Doozle. There could be trouble, and
I don’t want you in the middle of it.”
Doozle whined
softly, his eyes begging to join his friend.
“Not this time,”
she said, shaking her head. “Go to Papa in the fields,” she commanded, pointing.
“Go on.”
With one bark,
Doozle turned and headed back across the field.
“Do elves have
dogs?” she asked curiously.
Lenora replied, “We
have only the animals of the forest. They live freely and don’t need us to care
for them.”
“I suppose that’s
nice,” she said. “You might be missing out though.” Kaiya couldn’t imagine not
having Doozle around. He’d been her companion for many years.
They continued along
the path until they reached the village. The blacksmith’s hammer was already
audible in the distance, ringing in time with their steps. It was nearly
midday, and the town was alive with activity. Kaiya hoped that most of the
miners had found work in a different cave for the time being. She didn’t want
to have too large a crowd greeting them as they entered the village.
At the edge of
town, Kaiya could see a large tent had been set up near the marketplace. “That
must be where they’re keeping the sick,” she said.
“Lenora is a
healer,” Galen said, noticing Kaiya’s concerned expression.
“I’ll do whatever I
can to help them,” Lenora said reassuringly.
“This is a
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