Chapter Thirteen
The Talk
‘Your father will no longer give you the talk?’
I scolded at Lance’s smirk, sipping at my tea.
‘What’s so funny about it? My own father won’t even look at me anymore. How am I supposed to learn about everything now? Like what happens when a girl becomes a woman, or the secret of marriage. I bet Annie will find out before me.’
Lance smiled, flexing his fingers. I eyed him wearily.
‘We have time before you need to leave, let me satisfy your curiosity.’
‘Interesting, even with the scales one moment your face is white, the next bright red. Does it give you a headache?’
My head dropped onto the table. ‘Did you have to use so much detail?’
‘You’re no longer ignorant, and even gained a few tips for the future. Aren’t you glad it was me who gave you the talk?’
I groaned.
How long will it be before I can look Mum in the eye again? To think her and Father did stuff like that!
‘Just keep in mind, not everyone experiments the way Sapphire and I did. Now, shall we go?’
My face was still burning when we reached Eilir’s hut. I looked up.
‘Eilir’s?’
‘Yes, he has unusual talents, and because of it he was bestowed great favour from the immortals. This certain talent led to our alliance with Ignatius and the beginning of trading. That led him to you, coincidence?’
‘Wait, can he see the future?’
Lance chuckled, instantly I felt stupid.
‘No, although there is an immortal who can. I merely meant you were truly destined to come here, fate designed it so.’
His long-winded talking was giving me a headache.
‘Okay, whatever, can we go in now?’
‘You are welcome,’ Eilir’s voice interrupted. I jumped, seeing him emerge from the hut. ‘Did you rest well?’
‘Yeah, thanks.’ I said, resisting taking a step back as he loomed closer.
‘My payment seems to be helping. I’m glad.’
I glanced down at the necklace, which had gained a green tint since this morning.
‘It will allow you to feel her presence even when away from Laven.’ His hands hovered over it, but never touched.
‘Can I help her through it?’
His hand flinched away, a blank mask on his face.
‘I have no knowledge of such things.’
I nodded, throat dry. Eilir turned away, stepping back into the hut.
‘Come in, we need to send you home.’
Lance nudged my back, making me stumble into the hut. I caught myself before falling down the stairs and glared at him.
‘This is no time for careless questions. Eilir is an elder, don’t be so informal.’
Like that first day in Laven, I felt like these creatures would seriously hurt me if I wasn’t careful. I swallowed, nodding as I descended the stairs, entering the main room.
‘Please sit,’ Eilir said, his back to me, his hands occupied. ‘It will make the journey easier on you.’
There was no table or chairs. I glanced at Lance for approval before sitting at the centre of the room.
‘You will experience some nausea, and you’ll experience extra clumsiness for a few days. These effects should fade once you’ve used this method of travel a few times.’
He turned; in his hands was a dagger he was cleaning gently with an oiled cloth.
I remembered Lance’s warning and bit back a sarcastic comment about whether cuts were a symptom too.
‘I assume you know of the immortal realms?’
I nodded, watching every movement the knife made.
‘The passages created to enter them are cuts in space. Only two know beings were able to do this: Eilir of Wind, and Firo.’
My gaze jerked up to his eyes, he smiled.
‘And so, those entrusted with their power can also use this ability, to a degree.’
He cradled the knife in both hands, kneeling in front of me and extending his arms.
A rough elbow jab from Lance made me take it, mimicking Eilir’s hands. I tilted it, turned it, seeing no visible marks or feeling any connection to her.
‘This dagger was left by Eilir of Wind. It was used to open the entrance to the Unknown Realm in Malhand Forest. It takes someone with vast and powerful magic to use, or you must be like you and I.
‘It requires a lot of energy to make a permanent cut. Temporary ones are much easier, but it’s a power that shouldn’t be abused. Transporting you from one area with a seal to another holds no danger, because two permanent entrances can’t be made in the same place. Using it in a place without one could result in a new permanent entrance, and we have no control over where it would lead.’
I nodded, handing the knife back. Eilir stood back up.
‘If Eilir made it, how come I would be able to use it? I don’t sense her in this at all.’
Eilir frowned. I winced, remembering Lance’s warning.
‘T-that is, y-you don’t have to answer-’
‘I am unsure myself. Eilir and Firo were close, perhaps they shared their powers with each other. Or perhaps Firo can use anything made by the immortals. All I know is Eilir and Firo were the only two to create a weapon. Firo’s was lost long ago, and only could be wielded by her, while Eilir’s can be used by both. Now, shall we begin?’
‘You said I’ll end up near another entrance, does that-’
‘Silence now; I must concentrate. Try not to move.’
He stood up again, the knife moving to his right hand, dangling a few inches away from my head.
‘Fire seal,’ Eilir boomed, quickly dropping to his knees, the knife slicing downwards.
I jerked back, a thin black slit in the air folding open, like the corner of a page being lifted. A black void greeted me, the very air around it stuffy and dull.
‘Safe trip.’ Lance grinned, and shoved me head first into the nothing.
For a terrifying three seconds I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. My body felt heavy as stone, but it was moving through the nothing faster than a ball thrown in the air.
My lungs were frozen, my eyes unseeing. Then it lifted, and a long scream escaped me.
‘I see he hasn’t changed.’ A voice boomed over my scream. My eyes snapped open, head turning so fast I fell on my face.
‘Unfortunately not, Master.’ Father’s hard tone gritted out.
‘Stand up, boy!’
I shuffled away, my hard skin protecting my face from being scraped. A scream escaped me when a hand grabbed my arm, yanking me up and spun me around.
‘Do as you’re told!’ Father barked, twisting my arm so I couldn’t turn and face him.
Ignatius stood at the narrow tunnel’s entrance. Fire licked the walls, but kept a safe distance from our clothes.
I grounded my feet in the ash, Father struggling to push me. He growled and grabbed my waist, swinging me to his side, dangerously close to the flames.
‘You want to leave don’t you? This is the only way out.’
I went limp, flinching as we reached the towering Ignatius, his grin widening as I came into view.
‘His transformation seems to be going well. Let him go, I have no use for him here. Yet.’
Father’s grip slackened and I collapsed to the floor. Again. The weight of my backpack too heavy for my legs to move.
‘Didn’t you hear him? Leave!’
I stared up at the man who once loved me. A man once proud to teach me the ways of his culture, who would laugh with his family.
The disgust clear on his face made my eyes water.
‘Father.’
His disgust shifted to fury, a hand grabbing the backpack and yanking me up. My feet barely touched the floor as he stormed through the cave, fire parting but close enough to singe my clothes.
My eyes cleared of tears when we entered the mid-morning sun. I crashed to the floor, tasting sand in my mouth.
‘Don’t call me that again. You are nothing to me.’
I didn’t turn to see him walk back into the cave. It took five minutes before I pulled myself into a sitting position, escaping tears draining away all my strength.
It had taken me until sundown to drag myself back home. I collapsed into bed without a word to anyone.
‘Dimi?’ Annie asked, carrying a tray of food. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘I feel sick,’ I grunted through the pillow.
‘You’re on the bed instead of under, you must be really sick. Do you want your food?’
I groaned a protest.
‘Okay. Mum got called to Felicity’s; the baby is teething.’
I didn’t answer. Annie sighed. I felt a hand stroke my head, then her footsteps moving away.
Scribbled Thoughts 