Custodian.
***
An hour or so later, Carina had given the group an
extensive description of the inside of the castle with the help of
the model standing on a table by itself in the cave room. She had
been one of the residents there when Todmus was ruler of Drofoz.
She was the realm's lead healer and head of the ovates. Lavish
quarters in the castle had accompanied the title. Her escape from
Arawn was made by the skin of her teeth. She dreaded to think how
he would have used her if she hadn't eluded capture and found the
caves. Since that day when Arawn had forcefully taken the realm,
Carina had always felt guilty she'd been unable to get Allora and
Skylar out, too. She couldn't bear to think what they may have been
through over the years. She prayed with all her heart that Faedra
and her friends would be successful in their plan to rescue
Todmus's family. Carina developed a new appreciation for the
Custodian while they were hashing out a plan for the rescue. It was
obvious she cared deeply for Todmus and would do whatever it took
to free his family and reunite them.
***
“How much longer before it gets dark?” Faedra asked
Carina as they all left the cave room and headed towards the large
cave where Faedra had lost control of her power a few hours
prior.
“A little while yet. We have a couple of spare rooms
we can give you. You can freshen up and rest before we set out this
evening.”
That was music to Faedra's ears. She was starting to
feel a little grimy, and the thought of splashing some water on her
face and neck was a welcome one.
Carina led the four of them though the main chamber
and down another tunnel. This tunnel opened up into another cavern,
smaller than the first. The walls of this one looked like a sponge.
Lots of holes dotted the walls of the cavern creating small rooms.
Faedra could see that many of them were already occupied; the
inhabitants peeked out and looked at her and her friends with
curious interest.
As they walked further into the cavern, past all
those faces, the energy in the room rose with every step. Whispers
echoed around the walls. Faedra was blanketed in the familiar
feeling of hope she was now accustomed to feeling when surrounded
by these people.
She looked around and gave a weak smile to those who
made eye contact. Telling them with her eyes that she would do her
best to free them from having to live in hiding. To some of the
smaller children she saw, she was sure they knew no other life than
being cooped up in a cage. Too much danger lurked outside for them
to play carefree in the sunshine. She wondered if many of these
children had ever been allowed outside at all. Had they ever had
the sun warm their faces on a bright spring morning? Felt the cool
drops of rain from an unexpected shower?
“Here we are,” Carina said, snapping Faedra from her
thoughts. Faedra turned her attention to her host. Now that she and
her friends were going to free the family members of someone she
held very dear to her heart, she couldn't view Carina as a
kidnapper any more.
Carina pointed to two holes in the cavern wall. One
was above the other. A ladder made of tree branches and strapped
with vines led to the highest one.
“I will come and get you when night falls,” she said
before turning and exiting out the way they came in.
“Well, I guess Jocelyn and I will take this one and
you two can take that one.” Faedra said, pointing to the lower of
the two rooms. She noticed Etyran's expression fall as she divvied
up the rooms, but he quickly recovered when Faen put his arm around
Etyran's shoulder.
“Come, my friend. Let us leave the ladies to get
freshened up and rested before we leave. I want to go over tactics
with you,” he said to Etyran as he led him towards the ladder. When
Etyran put a foot on the first rung, Faen beat his wings a few
times and ascended to their room.
Faedra pushed the material hanging in the entrance
for privacy aside and gestured for Jocelyn to
***
An hour or so later, Carina had given the group an
extensive description of the inside of the castle with the help of
the model standing on a table by itself in the cave room. She had
been one of the residents there when Todmus was ruler of Drofoz.
She was the realm's lead healer and head of the ovates. Lavish
quarters in the castle had accompanied the title. Her escape from
Arawn was made by the skin of her teeth. She dreaded to think how
he would have used her if she hadn't eluded capture and found the
caves. Since that day when Arawn had forcefully taken the realm,
Carina had always felt guilty she'd been unable to get Allora and
Skylar out, too. She couldn't bear to think what they may have been
through over the years. She prayed with all her heart that Faedra
and her friends would be successful in their plan to rescue
Todmus's family. Carina developed a new appreciation for the
Custodian while they were hashing out a plan for the rescue. It was
obvious she cared deeply for Todmus and would do whatever it took
to free his family and reunite them.
***
“How much longer before it gets dark?” Faedra asked
Carina as they all left the cave room and headed towards the large
cave where Faedra had lost control of her power a few hours
prior.
“A little while yet. We have a couple of spare rooms
we can give you. You can freshen up and rest before we set out this
evening.”
That was music to Faedra's ears. She was starting to
feel a little grimy, and the thought of splashing some water on her
face and neck was a welcome one.
Carina led the four of them though the main chamber
and down another tunnel. This tunnel opened up into another cavern,
smaller than the first. The walls of this one looked like a sponge.
Lots of holes dotted the walls of the cavern creating small rooms.
Faedra could see that many of them were already occupied; the
inhabitants peeked out and looked at her and her friends with
curious interest.
As they walked further into the cavern, past all
those faces, the energy in the room rose with every step. Whispers
echoed around the walls. Faedra was blanketed in the familiar
feeling of hope she was now accustomed to feeling when surrounded
by these people.
She looked around and gave a weak smile to those who
made eye contact. Telling them with her eyes that she would do her
best to free them from having to live in hiding. To some of the
smaller children she saw, she was sure they knew no other life than
being cooped up in a cage. Too much danger lurked outside for them
to play carefree in the sunshine. She wondered if many of these
children had ever been allowed outside at all. Had they ever had
the sun warm their faces on a bright spring morning? Felt the cool
drops of rain from an unexpected shower?
“Here we are,” Carina said, snapping Faedra from her
thoughts. Faedra turned her attention to her host. Now that she and
her friends were going to free the family members of someone she
held very dear to her heart, she couldn't view Carina as a
kidnapper any more.
Carina pointed to two holes in the cavern wall. One
was above the other. A ladder made of tree branches and strapped
with vines led to the highest one.
“I will come and get you when night falls,” she said
before turning and exiting out the way they came in.
“Well, I guess Jocelyn and I will take this one and
you two can take that one.” Faedra said, pointing to the lower of
the two rooms. She noticed Etyran's expression fall as she divvied
up the rooms, but he quickly recovered when Faen put his arm around
Etyran's shoulder.
“Come, my friend. Let us leave the ladies to get
freshened up and rested before we leave. I want to go over tactics
with you,” he said to Etyran as he led him towards the ladder. When
Etyran put a foot on the first rung, Faen beat his wings a few
times and ascended to their room.
Faedra pushed the material hanging in the entrance
for privacy aside and gestured for Jocelyn to
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