This endless, godforsaken, nonstop rain…I hate it.
“I’ll call you again soon, Kulzo,” calls out Ziri as he makes his way to the tree where the vine ends. Kulzo doesn’t reply but stands watching us go, oblivious to the rain. I look at him one last time before ducking back into Ziri’s shoulder.
As Ziri carries me up a winding landing that appears from the tree, I say, “Ziri?”
“Yes, Lily?” At this moment in his arms, the way he just answered me I’m reminded of how much he is like Tharin. Tharin…all of a sudden, I miss him.
“We have a saying back home,” I say through chattering teeth and my thoughts filled with images of Tharin.
“And what’s that, Lily?”
“Watch your back,” I promise sighing into his chest.
Ziri laughs out loud at my challenge. I close my eyes as I hug closer to him, pretending just for now that he’s the elf I love. I ache at my sudden need to be with Tharin, to see him again. But I blew that chance when I didn’t go into the drifting state when he was here last. But if I did, he would have stayed, and he would’ve heard what I said. I guess it worked out okay then, he didn’t hear any of it, which means I can put it to him in another way. Even though I know it’s a dead end between us, I still want to be his friend, to at least have that with him.
God, I miss him so much. I wish he were here.
~ * ~
Chapter Eleven
~ Tharin ~
From a perch several feet up, I watch Ziri carry Lily back to their temporary thela. I lean forward as if it would help me hear her when she whispers to him – words lost to me due to the rain. Painfully, I didn’t miss Ziri’s laughter in response to her words, or how she snuggles even closer to him afterward. Has she already forgotten about me? Granted that she’s here stuck with only Sema and Ziri. Ziri the Lithi…tall, strong and he’s had his share of turning heads. I refuse to believe that Lily wouldn’t see more in me than just my looks. I continue to watch, frustrated with no way to release it.
Kulzo remains standing on the net. I wait knowing that he would disappear soon within the kavi trees. He is a Kavir, a tree dwarf and protector of the kavi. He and his kind have been protecting the kavi trees since before the rendering. Like many others, the Kavirs were warriors fighting alongside King Kalinest during the Great War. When the realms were split apart and we found a new world before us, it was the Kavirs who replanted the kavi trees and have been their caretakers over millennia. This is one of several kavi forests within the Oak Clan territory, and there are forests spread throughout the remaining territories thanks to Kulzo and his kin. As I suspected, Kulzo turns the opposite direction from where Ziri and Lily are heading, disappearing into a tree trunk. As soon as his feet step off the netting, the vines slowly unwind from each other until the net disappears completely.
I’m able to return this time without Ka’s help. Each previous visit I would remember more details of this area to tie me to it. However, the distance from the Oak Tower to this location is greater than any I’ve drifted before. It took all of my concentration and will to make the journey and we hadn’t reached the Tower yet. It’s not just a risky move, but a dangerous one, too. I found a clearing of oak trees and hidden in one of the thela is my body. I lie with only the protection of the oak itself. Even now my drifting self is not as solid as I would be if I were drifting within a half-mile or so from where I lay.
I move among the shadows, following Ziri and Lily at a short distance. I’m careful not to concentrate too long on Ziri and give away my location. Ziri has stopped on the landing before entering, placing Lily on her feet. She holds on to him and I try not to let it skewer me anymore than it already has. He untangles her from the vine as she
“I’ll call you again soon, Kulzo,” calls out Ziri as he makes his way to the tree where the vine ends. Kulzo doesn’t reply but stands watching us go, oblivious to the rain. I look at him one last time before ducking back into Ziri’s shoulder.
As Ziri carries me up a winding landing that appears from the tree, I say, “Ziri?”
“Yes, Lily?” At this moment in his arms, the way he just answered me I’m reminded of how much he is like Tharin. Tharin…all of a sudden, I miss him.
“We have a saying back home,” I say through chattering teeth and my thoughts filled with images of Tharin.
“And what’s that, Lily?”
“Watch your back,” I promise sighing into his chest.
Ziri laughs out loud at my challenge. I close my eyes as I hug closer to him, pretending just for now that he’s the elf I love. I ache at my sudden need to be with Tharin, to see him again. But I blew that chance when I didn’t go into the drifting state when he was here last. But if I did, he would have stayed, and he would’ve heard what I said. I guess it worked out okay then, he didn’t hear any of it, which means I can put it to him in another way. Even though I know it’s a dead end between us, I still want to be his friend, to at least have that with him.
God, I miss him so much. I wish he were here.
~ * ~
Chapter Eleven
~ Tharin ~
From a perch several feet up, I watch Ziri carry Lily back to their temporary thela. I lean forward as if it would help me hear her when she whispers to him – words lost to me due to the rain. Painfully, I didn’t miss Ziri’s laughter in response to her words, or how she snuggles even closer to him afterward. Has she already forgotten about me? Granted that she’s here stuck with only Sema and Ziri. Ziri the Lithi…tall, strong and he’s had his share of turning heads. I refuse to believe that Lily wouldn’t see more in me than just my looks. I continue to watch, frustrated with no way to release it.
Kulzo remains standing on the net. I wait knowing that he would disappear soon within the kavi trees. He is a Kavir, a tree dwarf and protector of the kavi. He and his kind have been protecting the kavi trees since before the rendering. Like many others, the Kavirs were warriors fighting alongside King Kalinest during the Great War. When the realms were split apart and we found a new world before us, it was the Kavirs who replanted the kavi trees and have been their caretakers over millennia. This is one of several kavi forests within the Oak Clan territory, and there are forests spread throughout the remaining territories thanks to Kulzo and his kin. As I suspected, Kulzo turns the opposite direction from where Ziri and Lily are heading, disappearing into a tree trunk. As soon as his feet step off the netting, the vines slowly unwind from each other until the net disappears completely.
I’m able to return this time without Ka’s help. Each previous visit I would remember more details of this area to tie me to it. However, the distance from the Oak Tower to this location is greater than any I’ve drifted before. It took all of my concentration and will to make the journey and we hadn’t reached the Tower yet. It’s not just a risky move, but a dangerous one, too. I found a clearing of oak trees and hidden in one of the thela is my body. I lie with only the protection of the oak itself. Even now my drifting self is not as solid as I would be if I were drifting within a half-mile or so from where I lay.
I move among the shadows, following Ziri and Lily at a short distance. I’m careful not to concentrate too long on Ziri and give away my location. Ziri has stopped on the landing before entering, placing Lily on her feet. She holds on to him and I try not to let it skewer me anymore than it already has. He untangles her from the vine as she
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