To Claim the Elvin Princess: Apprentice by Jack Bessie Page B

held Rasten’s arm, watching his face, to see his response to seeing his first look at his new home. If she expected him to be amazed, she wasn’t disappointed. He stood, spell bound and mesmerized.
    The Elder looked past him at Amein. “His first seeing of Alarinad?” he asked quietly, grinning.
    “Of course...both of us were unconscious when they brought us from the gate to the Citadel!” she sighed.
    “You too should look closely,” the Elder insisted, his voice carrying something that made Amein curious. Knowing that asking would prove futile, she availed herself of the view, seeing what she always had, before a small oddity caught her eye.
    “Why does the area by the Insirentire seem different?” she wondered, puzzled.
    “Because it is being rebuilt...we were attacked while you were absent, and that area was badly damaged by fire and sorcery.”
    “How...who did this!” she nearly shrieked, too stunned to even guess. It had been thousands of years since any had attacked their most important city.
    “The Eridians came with a small force, mounted on terranaks and attacked at sunset eighteen days ago. By the time our people could react, much damage had been done, and they fled under cover of darkness. I am told a woman led them, young and of terrible beauty. Her sorcery was adequate to inflict much destruction.”
    “Why was I not told this?!” she demanded harshly.
    “Amein...you were sorely wounded from your own...adventure. You could do nothing, while you healed, and we wished to give Rasten a chance to at least start to comprehend his new existence, before either of you had to face this affront.”
    Rasten, who had stood, staring out the window, seemingly oblivious to their discussion, suddenly spoke.
    “Shocara did this. It was her idea, to shock the Elvin, and to make you inclined to pull your warriors in, to better be able to defend this city!” he declared, certain and unshakable.
    “How can you know that?!” Amein demanded.
    “He possesses Sayarin’s gift of farsight! Surely you can see that!” Midarini declared.
    “Will she do this again?” Amein wondered.
    “She would be a fool to do so. You will be expecting such, and will be well prepared. She likely hopes that more distant places will be rendered more vulnerable, as you seek to defend this place. She is no fool...we will meet her in due time, elsewhere,” Rasten insisted simply.
    In spite of knowing better, Amein would have been less shocked had Rasten turned into an alowon.
    Amein looked at him several moments, before a small grin appeared. “What does your farsight show you of us?” The Elder burst out laughing, causing Amein to blush.
    “I hardly think he requires farsight to see how things will be between you two...a blind rodent could see that!” the elder insisted. This gave Amein pause, and she decided to avoid the subject of her jealousy, at least until she might speak to Midarini alone.
    Trying to get her mind on more proper matters, she looked at the Elder.
    “How many were...injured...or killed,” she reluctantly asked.
    “Nearly a hundred, many of them ordinary Elvin. The Eridian’s lost a couple, to our arrows, and we captured two... one, a male...died of his wounds. The other, a female, is mostly healed from her scrapes and cuts; her terranak was taken down by a well placed shot, and she landed hard enough for people to disarm her!”
    “She should be glad to even be alive! I have the worst urge to go and torment her myself!” Amein declared, her eyes wet.
    “But you will not...being civilized. Everyone was shocked; it has been long since any attacked us here!” Madarini suggested.
    “And that made us complacent!” Amein suggested, disgusted with such a folly. The temptation to blame herself was strong. “Where is she being held?” she wondered.
    “In the clan home’s facility She is well secured, and rather angry!” Midarini suggested wryly.
    “Marvelous! We shall well examine her, to see what she