basis.”
Kaliel tried to relax, the Flame’s fire slipping. She held her arms across her chest. “What do you mean?” She held back her grief. All she wanted to do was sit in Pux’s arms and cry until Krishani came back and took her away from all of this. There were things she desperately needed to ask him, questions only he could answer.
Klavotesi pushed the sleeves of his cloak together. “You need a proper mentor and I would be honored to fill that role.”
Kaliel glanced at Pux and remembered what Grimand said about her lessons in Avristar being nonexistent. Funny how dying made everything stop. It caused another hole to form in her heart. Thinking about home and the idea of never going back hurt but she nodded. “There’s a lot I don’t know.”
“And you have a body that’s both human and elven. That will make things more difficult.”
“Aulises was elven?”
“Part elven. Heritage is not what you think it is. There is both the physical and the energetic component to our makeup. On the physical side there are markers that create your body. They can be mixed depending on the species, much like the humans and wolves that created feorns. You are a product of an intelligent race and an evolving race. Humans are in their beginning stages, whereas elvens have existed thousands of years longer. You are physically both, but your humanity gives you limitations. Energetically you will always be a Flame, but that is something that should be watched closely,” Klavotesi explained.
Kaliel felt like her head was going to explode. It was too much information all at once. Even though she regarded Klavotesi as intelligent and better suited to train her than any of her previous elders she needed time to absorb the things he told her. She gave him a sheepish smile. “And if I agree, will you explain that to me again?”
“I will tell you many things about Terra and the Lands Across the Stars. I can tell you more about who you are and what you can do. I’ll teach you everything I can and help you reach your potential,” Klavotesi said. He bowed, as though the gesture bound him to his word.
Kaliel felt slightly uplifted. She could live in Terra if she was going to learn how to be herself again. She doubted there were merfolk, fae, feorns, shee or centaurs on Terra, but maybe there were other things she could grow fond of in time. Regardless, she would stay because of Krishani. He was the only thing that mattered to her. She dropped her arms and glanced at Pux. “If you agree to teach both of us I will accept it.”
Klavotesi turned to the feorn as though noticing him for the first time. “That is fair. This feorn has abilities he can’t access. I can help with that.”
Kaliel twisted her toe in the stone. “What were you doing on Amaltheia?”
“Assisting Ambrose Telper, another Ferryman. We were intercepting thieves. It’s work he can do on his own,” Klavotesi said.
Kaliel frowned. “What work?”
“The work of a Ferryman.” Klavotesi looked at the crowd then at Kaliel. “I think you should ask Krishani to explain it to you.” He took a step away, paused. “I will call on you for our first lesson soon,” he added as he disappeared around the corner.
Kaliel slid down the wall and rested her head against it. Pux followed, their shoulders touching. “What are you thinking, Pux?”
“I might be able to improve on the fashion sense of our poor villagers,” he said monotone.
Kaliel giggled. She couldn’t help it. “I think you’re hopeless.”
Pux smiled ruefully. “I’m serious. Everything’s too gray. We could do with a bit of orange.”
Kaliel scoffed. “I don’t like orange.”
“How about pink?”
“Sure,” she said, losing herself in the monotony of the music and the pale color of the stone above her. There were things to be sad about but she didn’t want to feel sad anymore. She was thankful everything seemed normal–well, almost everything.
* * *
10 - The
Kaliel tried to relax, the Flame’s fire slipping. She held her arms across her chest. “What do you mean?” She held back her grief. All she wanted to do was sit in Pux’s arms and cry until Krishani came back and took her away from all of this. There were things she desperately needed to ask him, questions only he could answer.
Klavotesi pushed the sleeves of his cloak together. “You need a proper mentor and I would be honored to fill that role.”
Kaliel glanced at Pux and remembered what Grimand said about her lessons in Avristar being nonexistent. Funny how dying made everything stop. It caused another hole to form in her heart. Thinking about home and the idea of never going back hurt but she nodded. “There’s a lot I don’t know.”
“And you have a body that’s both human and elven. That will make things more difficult.”
“Aulises was elven?”
“Part elven. Heritage is not what you think it is. There is both the physical and the energetic component to our makeup. On the physical side there are markers that create your body. They can be mixed depending on the species, much like the humans and wolves that created feorns. You are a product of an intelligent race and an evolving race. Humans are in their beginning stages, whereas elvens have existed thousands of years longer. You are physically both, but your humanity gives you limitations. Energetically you will always be a Flame, but that is something that should be watched closely,” Klavotesi explained.
Kaliel felt like her head was going to explode. It was too much information all at once. Even though she regarded Klavotesi as intelligent and better suited to train her than any of her previous elders she needed time to absorb the things he told her. She gave him a sheepish smile. “And if I agree, will you explain that to me again?”
“I will tell you many things about Terra and the Lands Across the Stars. I can tell you more about who you are and what you can do. I’ll teach you everything I can and help you reach your potential,” Klavotesi said. He bowed, as though the gesture bound him to his word.
Kaliel felt slightly uplifted. She could live in Terra if she was going to learn how to be herself again. She doubted there were merfolk, fae, feorns, shee or centaurs on Terra, but maybe there were other things she could grow fond of in time. Regardless, she would stay because of Krishani. He was the only thing that mattered to her. She dropped her arms and glanced at Pux. “If you agree to teach both of us I will accept it.”
Klavotesi turned to the feorn as though noticing him for the first time. “That is fair. This feorn has abilities he can’t access. I can help with that.”
Kaliel twisted her toe in the stone. “What were you doing on Amaltheia?”
“Assisting Ambrose Telper, another Ferryman. We were intercepting thieves. It’s work he can do on his own,” Klavotesi said.
Kaliel frowned. “What work?”
“The work of a Ferryman.” Klavotesi looked at the crowd then at Kaliel. “I think you should ask Krishani to explain it to you.” He took a step away, paused. “I will call on you for our first lesson soon,” he added as he disappeared around the corner.
Kaliel slid down the wall and rested her head against it. Pux followed, their shoulders touching. “What are you thinking, Pux?”
“I might be able to improve on the fashion sense of our poor villagers,” he said monotone.
Kaliel giggled. She couldn’t help it. “I think you’re hopeless.”
Pux smiled ruefully. “I’m serious. Everything’s too gray. We could do with a bit of orange.”
Kaliel scoffed. “I don’t like orange.”
“How about pink?”
“Sure,” she said, losing herself in the monotony of the music and the pale color of the stone above her. There were things to be sad about but she didn’t want to feel sad anymore. She was thankful everything seemed normal–well, almost everything.
* * *
10 - The
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