《The Witch and the Chimera》


 Chapter 1 - An intruder in the castle (rewritten)

    The elders of his pack had warned him:


    ¡°Never go beyond the mountains where humans live.¡±


    But, at the same time, those hateful bastards were also to blame for the fact that he was now forced to ignore that same warning.


    There was no place for him in the Roaring Mountains anymore.


    In fact, he had no place in the world. He could have dropped dead on the spot, let the snow cover him completely, and no one would know the difference.


    To his own kind he was an outcast, to everyone else a legend or a creature to be hunted.


    It would be better to die right here, he thought, while hiding in a hole among the rocks, to protect himself from the intense blizzard and the biting cold.


    What was the point of continuing?


    He would never be more than a defective being, an object of pity or disdain. His existence was meaningless. He was of no use to anyone, he had nothing of value to offer. That was the reason he had been abandoned to his fate.


    It wasn''t fair. It wasn''t fair. He never did anyone any harm. He only wanted to exist in peace with others, to play with his brothers, to be recognized by his peers, to have his own family, to enjoy the sun, the wind, all the colors of the mountain. Nothing simpler and, at the same time, so difficult to achieve.


    Why, why, why did things have to be like this? Who had decided it? Why did he have to die? Why couldn''t the others die?


    The thought suddenly assaulted him, and ignited a flame in his head that spread to the rest of his body. Immediately, he stopped feeling cold.


    He had found his purpose.


    When the storm was over, still in his fox form, he began his descent down the mountainside. As he made his way through the rugged terrain, jumping from rock to rock, and later into the dense forest, his plan took shape, and his determination grew stronger.


    Someday the others would regret having looked down on him. He would become the strongest chimera of all, and when he returned with them, his head held high, they would be forced to bow theirs. They would beg him for mercy but, when he refused, they would realize that it was too late to repent of the injustice they had done.


    But, for all that to happen, first, he had to take revenge on the humans.


    And what better way to begin than by sneaking into that immense castle that stood at the foot of the mountain, right in the middle of two territories that belonged to rival elven families.


    From afar, the castle seemed impenetrable with its imposing stone walls and watchtowers. Meanwhile, between the battlements, he could see the small silhouettes of dozens of armed soldiers. However, no one possessed enough imagination to notice the presence of such an unusual creature as he.


    In order to go unnoticed, he had no choice but to abandon the fox form, which, until then, had helped him to survive in the mountains, and chose to adopt the form of a mouse.


    He could have looked for a hole at the base of the wall, big enough to let him through, but it seemed more fun to go through the gigantic iron gate under the noses of the soldiers themselves, who did not pay attention to the presence of the tiny rodent, or did not give it enough importance.


    Even so, his boldness almost cost him his life, being almost crushed by one of the countless boots and cartwheels that were pouring in and out of the place.


    Lesson learned, don''t get carried away by arrogance.


    The next thing to do was to start gathering information about their customs, their strengths and, above all, their weaknesses. Once that stage was accomplished he would know what he had to do.


    At first he felt a little lost. No sooner had he crossed the entrance gate, than he found himself in a wide cobblestone space surrounded by several buildings. He didn''t know where to start until, suddenly, among the smells of men and horses, he could distinguish one that made him raise his nose.


    He had never smelled anything so wonderful. It was roasted meat, similar to when he sat around the fire, accompanied by the rest of his pack, but there was something else, unknown to him.


    Driven by a voracious hunger, which he had been trying to ignore since he had been left alone on the mountain, he pursued that delicious aroma that led him to the door of a warm and bustling room, inside which he observed several women, with stained aprons and sweaty bodies, moving among tables and stoves.


    He had to stop in the doorway, dazed by the explosion of new smells that was making him unusually dizzy. That carelessness earned him a heavy blow that sent him back outside, and almost to the next life. One of the maidservants had seen the mouse wanting to enter the kitchen, and had kicked him without any consideration.


    This is not going to stay like this, thought the mouse, and he tried again several times, trying to cross that first obstacle without being seen. However, after the third failed attempt, a gray cat appeared out of nowhere, and chased him all over the enclosure, until he managed to sneak through a tiny hole in the wall that saved him from a deadly swipe.


    He changed his strategy. First he had tried not to be seen, now he had to be seen.


    He decided, therefore, to become a cat, after studying how the maidservants, especially the younger ones, were fond of these fat and lazy beings, and even gave them small pieces of food.


    The problem was that he had never tried that shape before. In the mountains he had come across wild cats, and had some notion about them, but a domestic cat was something else, so it would take him a few days of practice until he could do it. For that he had to look for a corner outside the castle, near some frozen puddle where he could see the reflection of his transformed body. In the meantime, to appease his hunger, he contented himself with crumbs of bread or fruit that the soldiers dropped as they passed by.


    It was not easy to find the right size or appearance. If someone had discovered him in one of his first attempts, they would have been shocked to meet face to face with a grotesque jumble of undefined shapes that was halfway to what he wanted to achieve. Later he was able to transform, but in parts. There were moments when he looked like a new species of giant furry rodent and, at others, a cat with the head and tail of a mouse. Either of those scenes would have raised the alarm flags, and he should escape as soon as possible.


    Finally, after several days and countless tests, he returned to the kitchen in his new form. For the occasion, he had chosen a perfect orange color, which immediately achieved the astonishing result of being greeted by a series of exclamations, uttered by the maids, who, as soon as they saw him, approached to pet him. Everyone wondered where the beautiful cat had come from, and even assumed that he had walked from the village, or had hidden in a wagon.


    He had already been observing the behavior of the other cats, not as beautiful as he was, and, although he didn''t like the idea, he knew that to get what he wanted he had to start rubbing against their filthy clothes and purring in the most outrageous way possible. Then he threw himself on his belly and the girls didn''t wait to caress him all over. It was unbearable but necessary.


    And it worked. Not only was he not kicked out of the kitchen, but apparently, to his embarrassment, he became their pet. That first show of false affection earned him a delicious piece of meat that became the first bite of many.


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    Actually, if he had to be honest with himself, he didn''t need to transform into a cat to gather information about humans. He could have visited every corner of the castle, if he had wanted to, in his mouse form.


    Ah, but the food...


    Before he got there, he didn''t know there could be so much variety. He had learned most of the words by listening to the cooks: beef, pork, venison, wild boar, pheasant, partridge, rabbit, duck, all stuffed with herbs, fruits and spices, seasoned with oil or vinegar, garnished with dried fruits or nuts; not to mention hot soups, vegetable and legume stews, freshly baked bread, cheese from different regions, fresh fruit, almond and honey pies, accompanied by wine and beer.


    Every day, on silver trays, those delicacies went out the door, of which he could only taste the leftovers that returned at the end of each breakfast, lunch or dinner, and that were also enjoyed by the same servants, who, like him, caught on the fly a piece of each meal and even a glass of unfinished drink.


    As the weeks went by, while the winter was still raging outside, thanks to his new diet he even felt stronger. Much stronger than he had ever felt before. Maybe it was time to try another transformation. He had always wanted to transform into something large and with great attack power, like a bear or a wolf.


    When the snow melted, perhaps he would go into the forest, although he was not too sure about doing so, since it was elven territory and, like all magical beings, any of them could discover his true nature very easily. He had already risked enough after crossing the border between the forest and the mountains.


    In the case of humans, only those who were referred to as "wizards" could have any chance of recognizing him. That was why he had to be very careful when he walked around the courtyard, since there was always the possibility that one of them would appear, and he had to run away so that they would not see him.


    He had also learned something about them. They could wear three different colors. The young apprentices wore brown and blue tunics, while the more advanced ones wore red. That made things much easier for him.


    If he wasn''t in the kitchen, he found himself roaming around. By now everyone had become accustomed to seeing him walking everywhere. He got to know the armory, the blacksmith workshop, the stables, the barracks and the soldiers'' quarters. He learned the names of all the places and objects he came across, as well as their functions.


    There was another place that caught his attention, although he could only enter it at night, when the only people in the courtyard were the soldiers on guard duty.


    It was a small building with a high ceiling, at the back of which stood the statue of a huge woman wearing a sleeveless tunic and a crown of flowers on her head. She was sculpted standing with her arms stretched upwards as if she were dancing. Humans seemed to be very interested in that place. He would see them come in and sit in front of the statue. Some would lower their heads and start mumbling something. Others would even kneel in front of it.


    Later, he could confirm that it was a temple dedicated to the Nymph Nemertyss, who was none other than one of the causes of the great war between the clans of the Prairie and the Forest. That must not have pleased the elves very much, surely.


    Chimeras, on the other hand, had no deities to pray to. Instead, they worshipped the mountains, the wind that blew between them, the rivers that crossed them, the cycle of the seasons, and the moon and sun that appeared and hid behind their peaks. Each chimera was considered part of a greater Whole, and its only task was to coexist in balance with nature.


    The one place he did not have the courage to enter was the main residence of the Count, in which also lived his daughter and the wizards. That was the only great obstacle in his ambitious plan, and he had to think well how to solve it, because, after all, the great weapon that the humans had against chimeras was their sacrilegious magic, which had forced his race to go deeper and deeper into the heart of the mountain, far from all the rest.


    On a few occasions he caught a glimpse of the Count from afar, on horseback going through the great iron and wooden gate. He was a tall, muscular-looking man, with black hair and beard, with a few gray locks. The chimera could not see his eyes, but the maids, who kept sighing at his presence, kept talking about his beautiful sea-blue eyes.


    He did not know the sea. Perhaps someday he would dare to approach the man and see for himself, just to satisfy his curiosity.


    Everyone held the Count in high esteem. He was, they said, an honorable man who professed great love for his daughter and showed kindness to all his servants, regardless of whatever role they performed. Perhaps the only thing close to a criticism was that he was too protective of the girl, who was seen less and less in those days. But, of course, they added, she was all he had in the world, since the poor dear countess had died seventeen years ago.


    And now he was about to lose his daughter, who since her first cry had been betrothed to the crown prince. During the last days, her marriage, which would probably take place after the arrival of spring, was the central topic of conversation, since the maids were envious of those chosen ones who would take care of their mistress once she went to live in the capital.


    It was also said that she spent a lot of time with her mentor, probably studying magic, for which she showed skills, in addition to other necessary knowledge that would be useful to her as a future princess and, eventually, queen.


    Perhaps when the Lord and his entourage headed for the capital, the castle would be much quieter, and the cat would have more of a chance to explore it. Although he was also seduced by the idea of hiding among the luggage and leaving with them. It could be very risky. He could not imagine what a city full of humans could be like, much bigger than that castle that already seemed too huge.


    He was not sure. He was actually pondering the matter, when, without warning, the Count''s daughter appeared in the kitchen.


    From the first moment he saw her walk through the door, he could tell she was different. Her long, shiny hair, like the wings of a raven, was delicately braided and adorned with ribbons, while her sky blue dress, with golden details, had nothing to do with the opaque uniforms of the maids, who, as soon as they saw her arrive, bowed and looked at each other nervously.


    From where he stood, he couldn''t see her eyes. Perhaps they were like her father''s, blue as the sea, but as a precaution he stayed away.


    She waved her hand, as if to reassure them, and sat down in front of one of the tables, which was soon emptied of all utensils and pots to make room for the lady. Seconds later, one of the maids served her a cup with a hot beverage, and the girl began to drink it, while she began to talk with them, as if she were just an acquaintance who had come to visit.


    In that busy room her figure was out of place, but she behaved naturally, as if everything belonged to her. To his displeasure, she did not seem to realize the discomfort that hung in the air, the delay she was causing in the usual rhythm of the kitchen, the predicament of the poor maids, who would have to strain their already exhausted bodies to prepare dinner in time.


    In any case, that matter was none of his business. He didn''t understand why he was so upset...


    Suddenly, as he watched her from a corner, an idea crossed his mind.


    Maybe he couldn''t take on a whole race by himself.... At that rate, it would take him years to achieve his revenge. But... if only he could become something bigger, with fangs and sharp claws, even if it was a monster without a concrete shape, one of those nights he could go to find the girl''s room and kill her with a single swipe while she slept.


    That would be the perfect revenge against the royal family. He was even willing to risk being caught in the act by the wizards and die knowing that those hateful people knew who had been the perpetrator of that terrible tragedy. If only he could...


    ¡°What a lovely cat!¡±


    As he was licking his lips at the thought of the blood pool at her bedside, the girl rushed over, grabbed him under his front paws, and then rocked him in her arms like a baby.


    ¡°He''s so soft!¡± she said as she dug her hands into his fluffy fur. ¡°Does he have a name?¡±


    ¡°Cat, miss,¡± answered one of the maids, lowering her eyes, although some of them could not hold back a smile. ¡°But you can choose a name for it if you like...¡±


    ¡°Well, yes, of course! I''ve never had a cat.... I''ll call him... I''ll call him... Orangey!¡±


    He would have carried out his plan to kill her on the spot, just out of indignation, but he only deigned to grunt to make his displeasure clear.


    But she just laughed.


    ¡°He doesn''t seem to like it... well.... Sunshine?¡±


    He continued to growl.


    ¡°Fluffy?¡±


    The best thing to do was to ignore her. He made several attempts to get away, but she wouldn''t let him.


    ¡°I''ll think of a better one... He''s so cute... I wish I could take him with me...¡±


    He didn''t let her finish. He dug his nails hard into her arm, until she screamed and forced her to let go. A small trickle of blood spurted from her skin, but he didn''t have time to gloat because he had to escape before she thought of adopting him as a pet.


    However, one of the servants didn''t like the way the cat reacted, so he chased it around the courtyard.


    That impulsive act meant the end of his stay in the castle, so he started looking for the exit to the outside, but was not fast enough to avoid another man who caught him by the tail.


    ¡°Don''t do anything to him! He''s an innocent animal!¡±


    If she only knew...


    ¡°What''s going on? Why are you yelling, my Lady?¡± suddenly shouted a man dressed in red, and everyone stopped what they were doing, and bowed their heads.


    Panic-stricken, the chimera twitched, trying to scratch the man who had captured him.


    ¡°Leander... it is nothing...¡± replied the Count''s daughter.


    ¡°My lady... You are bleeding!¡± exclaimed the concerned wizard.


    ¡°An accident, nothing more... I was playing with the cat and...¡±


    ¡°What cat?¡± the pale-faced, shaven-haired wizard turned his head, and met the eyes of the culprit, who could clearly see the man''s pupils widen.


    The chimera should have stayed as it was, kept pretending, made him hesitate, but, like so many other times he had felt fear in front of a predator, he lost control of his body, and returned to his mouse form in front of the astonished gaze of everyone present.


    In that tiny form he managed to free himself from the hands that held him, but the damage had already been done. With a simple movement of his hand, and an accurate aim, the wizard immobilized him, and his body froze as if he had been buried under a dense layer of snow.


    The last thing the chimera saw before he fell unconscious were the wizard''s huge boots stopping in front of him.

 Chapter 2 - The old wizard (rewritten)

    ¡°Master Eldrin! Master!¡±


    As so often before, Master Eldrin, Leader of the Order of Wizards of Shadowrock, was, in the after-dinner hour, enjoying a quiet read by candlelight in the library, with a cup of hot tea at his side, when a noisy Leander suddenly appeared, slamming the door with the same force of a gust of wind and, thus, ruining his peace of mind.


    His agitated colleague stopped in front of him, trying to catch his breath.


    ¡°You won''t believe this!¡± Leander exclaimed.


    ¡°By the grace of the Nemertyss, Master Leander!¡± exclaimed the old wizard, annoyed. ¡°Remember your position! Behave according to the dignity of the Order you represent!¡±


    Nodding, Leander ran his hands over his chest, as if smoothing his tunic and trying to regain his composure, but Eldrin could feel his body trembling with excitement.


    He just hoped it wasn''t another experiment, he thought. For some reason, wizards younger than him had a certain inclination to innovate in seal design, which had already led to a few accidents in the tower. He didn''t understand why they continued to do it. They never succeeded. It was enough to follow what the books of their predecessors said. There was no need to create new types of seals when the ones that existed worked perfectly.


    There was a long silence. Leander remained quiet, and looked at him expectantly.


    ¡°Then speak up, man!¡± Eldrin ordered him. ¡°I want to continue my reading in peace.¡±


    Leander bowed his head in apology.


    ¡°I''m sorry to disturb you in your hour of rest, but... I need to confirm something with you.¡±


    Yes, Eldrin thought, it was what he had feared.


    ¡°What is it this time? A communication mirror? A pen that writes by itself? A damn flying broom?¡±


    Leander closed the door, and approached him. When he spoke, he did so in a whisper:


    ¡°Master... I can''t say for sure but... I think... I found... a chimera. A chimera, Master Eldrin. A chimera, I don''t know how, it was discovered here, inside our castle.¡±


    Eldrin looked him straight in the eye. Perhaps the effect of the potions had unhinged his mind.


    ¡°Master Leander... Why don''t you go get some rest and...?¡±


    ¡°A chimera, Master, a chimera! You have to see it, a chimera!¡±


    ¡°You don''t realize what you''re saying! You''ve lost your mind!¡±


    ¡°Come with me, and see it with your own eyes!¡±


    Leander turned around to go back the way he had come. Eldrin, against his will, followed him at a gentle pace. The other wizard, out of respect for his superior, slowed down.


    Perhaps this was for the best, Eldrin thought. If his colleague had gone mad, that would be all the justification he needed to expel him from the Order. He had only agreed to let him join it because the Count had pressured him. And all because they had been friends since childhood. That was no way to run a castle.


    At the slow pace they were going, it took them several minutes to reach the staircase leading to the experiment room located in the south tower. Leander was trying not to get too far ahead, but he could tell he wanted to run. It took them another while to climb the stairs.


    Finally, they arrived at the tower, in which, as always, disorder reigned. The only thing that illuminated the room were some glowing stones that left half of the room in darkness, but Eldrin could see perfectly well that nothing there was in its proper place. The work tables had never been cleaned. Scrolls, stones, plants, potions, all mixed together without any criteria, thought Eldrin, who hated that place, and stayed as far away from it as possible. He always put as an excuse the state of his old legs, and there was no lack of disciples worried about the health of their leader...


    Suddenly, he felt something... a presence coming from one end of the tower whose energy could not be perceived by the senses, but pulled him along like an invisible rope.


    Leander had not told him anything when they entered, he did not give him any indication. Now he understood why. He didn''t need to. In front of him, at the back of the room, in a cage sealed with shields, lay a small crouching mouse.


    No, that was not a mouse. It looked like one, yes, at first glance, but it was not.


    He had never felt that flow of energy before. It was something new, something different. In his younger years, he had spent his time traveling through every corner of Terrarkana to study the Ethereal Codes of all races. Humans, elves, sirenians, hybrids, even common animals. There was nothing alike in the energy emanating from this innocent rodent.


    Eldrin stood in front of the cage. He raised both hands, and immediately a series of golden lines began to emerge from the creature''s body, ascending the air as they intertwined with each other, forming shimmering patterns that curved and twisted, creating a spiral that extended from a central point outward.


    Both wizards stared at the spiral whose lines continued to rotate.


    ¡°Can you read it?¡± Leander asked after a few minutes.


    ¡°No,¡± answered Eldrin coldly. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I tried, but I couldn''t recognize any symbol... but I could recognize this, look... there it is...¡±


    With a gesture of his head, Leander pointed out to Eldrin the small symbol inserted in the middle of a series of patterns.


    There was the anomaly. Serpentine lines, covered with thorns, intertwined with each other like a tangle of knots.


    ¡°The dragon seal,¡± Leander added.


    ¡°Yes, the same one.¡±


    ¡°His Excellency must be notified immediately,¡± said Leander, and again he rushed to the door.


    ¡°Give me a few seconds, Leander. I''ll be with you in a moment. I want to see some more.¡±


    ¡°I''ll wait for you downstairs,¡± Leander nodded.


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    However, after seeing Leander go down the stairs, Eldrin lowered his hands, and the spiral slowly dissolved.


    He again raised his hands in front of the cage to make visible the codes that formed the shields protecting it. He looked at the intricate design Leander had created. Pretty good, but not enough. He twirled his fingers a couple of times, and finished his task.


    He then looked at the tiny eyes of the mouse.


    ¡°You are very good at keeping quiet. I''d keep it up if I were you," he said before leaving.¡±


    He took several minutes again to go downstairs. When he found Leander, they continued on their way to the Count''s chambers.


    Leander again went ahead. The confidence he had with the Count made him forget that he had to watch his manners even in front of his Leader.


    He stepped in the same way as he had entered the library earlier.


    ¡°?Your Excellency! We have... incredible news!¡± he exclaimed.


    When Eldrin walked in behind him, he found himself face to face with the grim-faced Lord Alaric of Shadowrock, who was watching them exhausted behind his large dark desk covered with parchments, most of them related to administrative matters, perhaps some pressing message from the king concerned about the constant delay of the marriage alliance and reports from the spies stationed in the capital, of which Eldrin was also aware, although this last the Count was unaware.


    According to the servants, the Lord had been there all day since dawn. Beside him lay an empty tray. He had not dined with Olivia, that much was clear. It had been more than a year since the relationship between father and daughter had been going from bad to worse, which made Eldrin''s future plans easier.


    The Count raised his eyebrows, waiting for an explanation for the interruption. It was Leander who narrated the episodes of the last few hours, while Eldrin remained impassive, his hands clasped, waiting for him to finally finish.


    At the end of the enthusiastic explanation, which caused Leander''s blood to rush to his head, the Count stood up abruptly, almost knocking over the heavy chair.


    ¡°A chimera!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°But it''s been...¡±


    ¡°Almost a hundred years!¡± Leander completed the sentence.


    ¡°How can you be sure? Eldrin?¡±¡±


    ¡°I am as amazed as you are, Your Excellency,¡± Eldrin replied calmly. ¡°But I have seen the creature and I have no doubts either. We are the first of our generation to see a chimera, but the energy flow is the same as described in the Chronicles. Although the ultimate proof has been the dragon seal we have discovered trying to decipher the creature''s Code, unsuccessfully, I might add.¡±


    ¡°Just like the legend!¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Leander exclaimed again.


    ¡°A chimera in my castle...¡± the Count put both hands to his head trying to process the news. ¡°The Nymph... and the Dragon... even the Eternals are on our side!¡±


    ¡°It is unbelievable but it is so...¡± continued Eldrin. ¡°We don''t know what could have driven it to our gates, but it must have been desperate. It was fortunate that Lady Olivia just...¡±


    ¡°Ah, Olivia... Has she been told anything?¡±


    ¡°No, my Lord,¡± Leander answered. ¡°When I discovered the creature, I sent her back to her room without explanation, and went straight to Eldrin to corroborate my finding.¡±


    ¡°Well, well, our circumstances have taken an unexpected turn... Now the king will have no choice...¡±


    ¡°It certainly puts us in a very advantageous position to negotiate,¡± Eldrin added.


    ¡°Yes, but we must move carefully...Where are they keeping it?¡±


    ¡°In the south tower, my Lord," Eldrin replied. ¡°It is the only safe place. It is barely a cub, but just in case, Leander has put several protective seals on it.¡±


    ¡°Perfect! I want to see it,¡± announced the Count, but, before leaving, he stopped while listening to the old wizard:


    ¡°If you will excuse me, Your Lordship, my legs can''t take any more for tonight. Leander, however, will be happy to explain everything about the creature.¡±


    ¡°You have earned your rest. We will continue tomorrow.¡±


    Leander and the Count then headed in the direction of the south tower, while, in the opposite direction, Eldrin advanced a few meters slowly and, after hearing how their voices got lost, hurried the pace along an endless path of corridors and stairs until he reached his pupil''s room.


    As so many other times, he found it locked. A flick of his fingers was all it took for the lock to turn, and he found himself face to face with the girl.


    ¡°Eldrin! What''s going on? Leander...!¡±


    The wizard placed a finger to his lips, and gently closed the door.


    ¡°I''m glad you made the wise decision not to go out on your own,¡± said he.


    ¡°I knew you would come and decided to wait.¡±


    ¡°I have taught you well then," said the wizard with a smile and went on to quickly tell her everything that had happened.


    Olivia stared at him unblinkingly.


    ¡°I had a chimera in my arms?


    Eldrin nodded.


    "That''s right, a male specimen, but young, with very little power. Otherwise you would not have survived his attack."


    ¡°And what''s going to happen to him?¡±


    ¡°Your father plans to give him to the king.¡±


    ¡°But didn''t you say...?¡±


    ¡°A weak chimera is better than a non-existent one.¡±


    Eldrin watched the girl''s spirits collapse.


    ¡°So because of me...¡± she began to say.


    ¡°You couldn''t have known,¡± he comforted her.


    ¡°Well, yes... I felt something, but I...¡±


    ¡°What did you feel?¡±


    Olivia went on to describe the vibration she felt as soon as she laid her fingers on the cat''s fur, but it never occurred to her that it might be a magical creature, let alone an extinct one.


    Eldrin nodded in satisfaction. The girl had not yet passed the first levels in reading the Ethereal Codes, but what she was describing to him showed her undoubted potential. What a great queen she would be someday... unless the chimera came into the king''s hands and then...


    Despite all he had been through, His Excellency was still the same stubborn boy who had given his old master and the previous Count so many headaches.But Olivia would be different.


    ¡°Such a noble creature... it''s a pity,¡± the wizard lamented.


    ¡°What will happen if the king...?¡±


    ¡°Who knows... the wizards in the capital... their minds have been corrupted by power.... They may try to train it, or test it and...¡±


    ¡°And that doesn''t matter to my father...¡±


    ¡°Your father values you highly. Everything he has done so far has been for you," Eldrin sighed and turned slowly towards the door. ¡°We will think of something in the morning, my Lady, though I have seen your father very determined. I think he even plans to ride early tomorrow morning to the capital.¡±


    ¡°But... the Return of the Sirenians... my father would never...¡±


    Eldrin interrupted her.


    ¡°A chimera, Olivia, a chimera for the first time in nearly a century. You have no idea how powerful your father can become if he moves his pieces cleverly.¡±


    Olivia didn''t know what to say.


    ¡°I''ll bring you news tomorrow.¡±


    With those words the wizard took his leave and turned the lock back on the door so that no one would be suspicious.


    Now he had to act fast. If her pupil was determined enough, she would know how to get them out of that mess. It was a very risky move. That''s why he could not lose time and had to get a message to the Mistress of the Whispering Forest as soon as possible.


    He continued walking without getting agitated down the stairs, until he turned down a corridor that led him to the courtyard at the exact time of the changing of the guard. He nodded to the soldiers, who were not surprised to see the Leader of the Order crossing in front of them, until he reached the small temple dedicated to the nymph Nemertyss, where he would surely be praying or paying tribute.


    But his intentions could not have been more opposite. After stepping inside, the wizard passed the altar, where the two-meter statue of the deity carved in marble stood, and placed his hand on the wall, stamping a golden seal that unlocked the door, which once uncovered gave way to a passageway leading to the outside.


    Crossing the dense wall, the wind ruffled his robes, and he found himself in a dense layer of snow that reached his knees. He swung his arm, as if trying to cut the air with a knife, and in front of him opened a path several meters long that ended just where the forest began.


    Once he got there, he rested his hand on the cold bark for a few seconds until he left another golden seal imprinted on it. This one glowed for a moment, and began to be absorbed by the tree. Then it took the form of a line that crawled along the trunk like a snake and when it reached the branches it shot out like a spark that bounced from tree to tree until it disappeared in the darkness of the thicket.


    He then again took the same path in reverse, this time to his quarters. As soon as he crossed the door he would have liked to fall into his bed, but he still had to make sure how effective the conversation he had had with his pupil had been.


    He pulled a chair up to the wall to sit on, and placed a hand on it. As he closed his eyes, a map of golden lines was drawn in his mind revealing to him all the corners of the castle.


    The soldiers stood still at their posts, the other wizards had gone to rest. Some servants were carrying out the last tasks of the day. Leander and the Count were still in the south tower. It would be a while longer before they would be out of there.


    Then he turned his attention to the bedroom of the young noblewoman, who at that very moment was making preparations for her escape, which caused a light laugh to burst from his lips.


    The pieces were in place and ready to move.


    It was going to be a long night.

 Chapter 3 - The young apprentice

    It was already very late when her father deigned to open the door to Olivia''s room. She was tucked up in bed, facing her back to him, her head barely sticking out from under the blanket.


    She heard him approaching slowly and felt the weight of his body sitting on the edge of the bed. One hand stroked her hair very lightly as if caressing the finest of silks and then his lips kissed the side of her forehead.


    The Count remained still for a few seconds. Then he got up and left the room.


    Until that moment, Olivia had held her breath, which caused a painful pressure in her chest. Partly because of her sadness at the betrayal she was about to commit.


    But... hadn''t he betrayed her too?


    At least she was doing it for a noble cause.


    She waited a reasonable amount of time before jumping out of bed and beginning to pull from a chest the men''s clothing she used for sword and bow training. Under the bed she had hidden the saddlebag that contained a leather flask, some more clothing, the leftovers from her dinner that she had barely touched and a crumpled map that her father had once given her with an unfulfilled promise to take her on a journey around the kingdom.


    To think he hadn''t even taken her to visit the Blue Dragon Lake that was nothing more than a two-day ride away on horseback. Despite being the heiress to the Guardian of the Circle, little she knew about the world beyond the castle. She should be thankful that she was at least allowed to train, even if her skills were worthless as long as she was kept locked up like a pitiful damsel.


    She wanted to put into practice everything she had learned and this was going to be her chance.


    Finally, she took the small dagger that Cormac, the captain of the guard, had given her in case of emergencies and brought it to the nape of her neck to cut the heavy braid that immediately fell to the floor.


    She shook out her hair and looked at herself in the mirror. If her maid had witnessed that scene, she would have dropped dead. The future princess had vanished. Her fringed, uneven tresses pointed in all directions, as if it were a beast that had been released from its captivity.


    She hid the braid among the dresses she would never wear again. Then kept the dagger in the sheath hanging from her belt and put on a thick winter cloak. She hadn''t had a chance to retrieve her practice weapons from the armory, but she would have to manage. She hung up her saddlebag, and took a deep breath before resting her fingers on the wall to draw the key to the passageway.


    Eldrin had instructed her in the intricate design of the secret routes within the castle that had been created a century ago by the first Count of Shadowrock as an escape route in the event of an invasion. Since the last war they were only used to take shortcuts as the wizard''s protective seals were already enough to repel any external attack.


    But those were peaceful times and no one expected to be attacked, so her father had ordered to block most of the passages, fearing that his daughter would get lost inside them. It had proved useless in the end because he had never imagined that Eldrin could betray him to such an extent.


    The keys were the first seals that the wizard had taught her to draw. First with the quill practicing on sheets of parchment to memorize their shapes, then with her fingers on different surfaces. Someday she would be able to make them appear by her own will, but for now that was more than enough. She entered the long, dark passageway that soon branched off in several directions, all familiar to her, as that had been her favorite playground, especially during her father''s long absences as he made his journeys through the Circle. Her only adventure, she thought wistfully.


    Blindly and hurriedly, her feet guided her without any stumbling through curves, stairs and gaps, through which she had to crawl until she reached the invisible door of the south tower. She knew that it was behind a bookcase that had to be carefully moved so as not to make noise because there would surely be guards guarding the other entrance.


    She drew the key, which consisted in a square inside of which a series of lines and circles intersected,  and in front of her appeared the wood of the furniture. For what seemed like an eternity she tried to push it very gently until she opened a gap wide enough for her to squeeze through.


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    She was now in the experiment room illuminated only by one of the glowing stones embedded in the wall. Even in the semi-darkness, the chaos was visible.


    The bookcase she had pushed was almost empty, while codices and scrolls were scattered in disarray on the various tables and some have even been forgotten on the floor. Artifacts, prisms and containers of all shapes, empty or half-filled, were stacked without any criteria on dozens of shelves. Some had even been tipped over and left to stir some corrosive potion that had left a black stain on the floor as if the stone had caught fire. The work tables were covered with a jumble of shards of glass, stones and plants, and the rest of the furniture was worn or had a broken leg.


    In spite of that, the servants were forbidden to enter and they were surely grateful for it because it was very common to hear explosions inside the tower at different times of the day.


    In the middle of that mess, she discovered the iron cage. Very small, but surely protected by several seals.


    She was about to advance towards it when a powerful growl made her heart skip a beat.


    The chimera, she thought. But from her location she could not get a glimpse of the contents of the cage. The growl was heard again and, as she turned her head in its direction, a shiver ran down her spine, as lying on the floor she discovered a jumble of blankets under which lay none other than Leander. He was the one emitting snores that could have rivaled the roar of a dragon. She should have guessed that they wouldn''t leave the chimera alone just like that.


    On her tiptoes she approached the cage attentively, listening to the rhythm of the wizard''s breathing. Several times she had to stop in her tracks between the pauses of each snore, fearing that he might wake up at any moment. Finally, she reached the cage, and tried to move it, but it had been pinned to the table. She raised her trembling hands, and, after a few attempts, managed to make visible the golden seals that covered it. There were so many that their glow illuminated half the room. She looked in Leander''s direction, but, fortunately, his face was turned away from the cage.


    When she returned her gaze, she found herself face to face with the mouse, whose small eyes glittered like two black drops.


    ¡°Ah... Hello?,¡± she whispered.


    The mouse stared at her.


    ¡°My name is Olivia. We met... a few hours ago...¡±


    The mouse didn''t move or make a sound. Olivia was almost certain that she had read somewhere that chimeras could communicate with humans, but she didn''t think it was time to insist.


    ¡°Listen. I am to blame for you being caught, and that is why I have come to set you free. I don''t have time to explain everything because I must hurry to crack the seals. Just give me a few minutes.¡±


    The mouse stood stiffly while she studied the seals carefully. One by one she read them, and, the further she went, the more disheartened she felt. The wizards had spared no mechanism to keep the chimera captive, no matter how weak it was. Added to this, Leander''s snoring was taking away her concentration. Her arms ached, and she was about to cry, when she finished reading the last seal and the astonishment left her breathless.


    ¡°It couldn''t be.¡±


    The mouse nervously moved its muzzle.


    ¡°It can''t be", she repeated. ¡°It''s illogical, impossible. Who...?¡±


    She read the seal over and over again, thinking that tiredness had misled her, but it could not be otherwise. There was the seal whose riddle she knew pretty well. In fact, it was a very simple mechanism that Eldrin had written for her in her first exercises, when she had just begun to study the Ethereal Codes. And, not only that, but the seal was attached to the rest of the complex sequence that she had so far been unable to decode. If her theory was correct, it would be enough to disable that last seal for the sequence to be reversed.


    Could it be that Eldrin...?


    She shook her head. That mystery could be solved later.


    With her fingertips she traced the shape of the key and, to her disbelief, one by one the seals dissolved into tiny sparks until the last one went out altogether.


    Immediately, the cage door clicked open, and the little mouse jumped out of it.


    ¡°If you want to live, you must come with me," said Olivia, opening her saddlebag to encourage him to jump into it. ¡°But you must decide right now or....¡±


    It all happened so fast.


    Her success had brought her such joy, that she hadn''t noticed that the snoring had quieted down, and that a stunned Leander was looking at her from the ground.


    The wizard was about to cast a spell on her, but his heavy body had become entangled with the blankets. Olivia barely had time to see the mouse leap into the saddlebag, before she grabbed a stone and tossed it towards the shelves.


    The stone knocked over several of the bottles, which then hit the floor, and caused an explosion that filled the entire room with thick yellow smoke.


    ¡°Intruder! Intruder! Help! Intruder!¡± Leander shouted several times, while the guards on the other side opened the door, but could not see anything.


    They first stumbled upon the fallen wizard, who kept screaming at the top of his lungs and casting spells left and right. As a result, he ended up petrifying the same men who came to his rescue.


    By then, Olivia had already run through the door of the passageway, which closed after a few seconds without the others noticing.

 Chapter 4 - The fugitives

    Olivia slipped into the darkness as light as a gust of wind. Her feet barely touched the ground before she propelled herself forward again. Her lungs were about to burst and her legs ached but there was no time for a stop because of the fear she might not be able to recover again. Despite this, she had never felt so alive, like a knight on a mission of extreme urgency.


    But this was no childhood game. Her encounter with Leander had put her in a serious predicament because it prevented her from taking the only exit she knew, which was located in the temple of the nymph, and even with all the precautions it would be impossible for her to cross the parade ground full of guards. At any moment the entire castle would be alerted, the shields would be activated and all the openings would be blocked. Her only option was a little-traveled area, just where the latrines used by the wizards were located.


    She suddenly stopped in front of the wall where she knew the door to the passageway was located. This time she decided to open the gate a little at a time, in case there was someone on the other side. Luckily, this was not the case. Much to her relief, there was no wizard sitting on the wooden seats set along the wall. She caught a faint scent of damp wood and dried herbs that were used to counteract the odors, indicating that it had been quite some time since anyone had passed by.


    At the far end of the room was a narrow window, barely large enough to squeeze through, but before she could cross the distance that separated her from it, the sound of a door startled her and she heard footsteps approaching along the corridor that led to the latrines. She did not have time to open the door again. Besides, the glow emitted by the seal might alert the person. So she had no choice but to hide in the farthest latrine from the door, behind one of the low walls that separated the seats for more privacy. The wizard who entered was in a hurry as he sat down in the first place he found emitting a sigh of great relief.


    The aspiring heroine could do nothing but wait. In the south tower she had been lucky to have caught Leander off guard. In reality, she was in no condition to face any Master, and even the younger wizards were more advanced apprentices than she was, so she remained in the darkness stiff and huddled against the wall, knees drawn up tight to her chest, listening to all the man''s complaints and other kinds of sounds that she hoped she could forget someday. She couldn''t cover her ears because she needed to be alert to his every move.


    Suddenly, a disgusting smell assaulted her nostrils, almost making her gag, and she had to cover her mouth with both hands.


    Finally, the wizard left the room shuffling his feet and without noticing anything. It must have been some Acolyte or Initiate, who, like her, did not yet possess the ability to perceive the energy of magical beings.


    Like a flash of lightning she went to the window. It was not easy to fit through it. First she passed the saddlebag so as not to squeeze it and then needed to contort her body several times until she was with her feet dangling in the void and in a position to jump.


    About ten meters separated her from the ground which was covered by a dense layer of snow that would surely, or so she hoped, soften her fall.


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    Meanwhile the mouse had poked its head out of the saddlebag.


    ¡°You''re crazy!¡±, a little voice shrieked.


    Well, he had taken his time...


    ¡°Unless you can turn into an eagle, I have to jump," she replied.


    ¡°If I could turn into an eagle, I wouldn''t be here with you now!¡±


    ¡°Well then, take a deep breath¡±, the command was as much for him as it was for her.


    Olivia held her breath. A prayer crossed her mind asking for help from the Nymph, the Blue Dragon or whatever deity who could be watching and felt enough pity for her.


    Without further thought, she took the leap. Holding the saddlebag firmly, her hands opened as if flying. For a moment she felt as if she were floating, watching the distant stars twinkling above the majestic peaks of the Roaring Mountains.


    That didn''t last long because then her body plunged into the void, and seconds later she was buried in the snow.


    The fall was hard but the mound was not so high as to bury her. She managed to let go of the saddlebag so as not to suffocate the chimera, who was apparently fine although shivering with cold or perhaps fear, while she tried to crawl through the snow and free her legs.


    ¡°Is this where... ?¡±, the mouse began to say, pointing with its muzzle towards the holes in the wall where the servants threw the waste.


    ¡°You better not ask.¡±


    It took her longer than she expected to get up. She had to resort to placing her hands on the snow as if trying to reveal a seal. The heat emanating from her palms was enough to melt the snow, but she was tired and the flakes that had slipped through her clothes were beginning to numb her body.


    She picked up the saddlebag and started walking in the direction of the forest with her feet sinking into the snow. It felt like it was going to take her forever to reach her destination.


    She was now just behind the castle. There must have been guards posted on the wall, but the darkness was her ally. The problem would be when the soldiers came out of the castle to patrol in search of the alleged intruder, which could happen at any moment.


    With stiff limbs and the icy wind whipping her body, she crawled for a long time through the snow until reaching the edge of the forest where she fell exhausted under the shelter of a fir tree. She no longer even cared if the Lady of the Forest herself came looking for her. The soldiers would find her after a while and then she would be taken to her father who would reprimand her for the rest of the night and the next day until he concluded that he would never let her leave her chambers again, not even for a breath of air.


    At least her mission was accomplished. The chimera had regained its freedom.


    ¡°You''d better go without me,¡± Olivia told the mouse. ¡°My body can''t take it anymore. It was a stupid idea.¡±


    ¡°Yes, pretty stupid," said he. "How can I help?"


    After her astonishment, Olivia was moved by the thought that the chimera cared about her savior.


    ¡°There is a place where we can hide for the time being,¡± she replied. ¡°You''ll have to go by yourself first, and follow a long path through the trees until you find a hut,¡± she pointed a finger in the direction. ¡°The person who lives there will have no trouble helping us. Tell her my name and lead her here.¡±


    ¡°An elf?"


    Olivia sensed the distrust in the mouse''s voice.


    ¡°No, a healer. She''s known me all my life. She''s trustworthy. The elves live much farther away, in the center of the forest, over several days'' journey. I don''t know how much you know about the kingdom, but we are now inside the Circle, which is nothing more than a neutral zone.¡±


    ¡°Which means?¡±


    ¡°It means that the races can move freely within it. However, elves prefer to stay as far away as possible. You can rest assured.¡±


    The mouse, however, did not move.


    ¡°I can assure you,¡± she continued, "that I don''t want to meet them either, especially the Lady who rules them."


    The mouse seemed to believe her, or so she wanted to believe, because he then turned his back on her and set off in the direction she had pointed, until his little body merged with the darkness.

 Chapter 5 - The suspect

    After the count reached the south tower, running with sword in hand, he found the room in total chaos. The wizards of his castle were famous for their lack of order, but that was too much. A yellow dust floated in the air, covering all the destroyed objects in the room, and preventing him from seeing clearly. One of the youngest wizards was busy with the task of manipulating the air to get the particles out of the windows but it seemed that the solution was worse than the problem.


    Leander was lying on the floor being attended to by a blue-robed Acolyte who kept his hands pressed to the level of his friend''s lungs while he kept coughing and spitting a yellow paste on the floor. From what he had been told, the wizard and the guards guarding the door had inhaled some of the powder that could have been poisonous if it remained in their bodies any longer.


    Meanwhile, the castle had been sealed off. No one could leave or enter. All the guards had been alerted and were covering every corner of the vast fortification in search of the suspect. The Count would have liked to go with Olivia, but when he was told of the danger Leander faced, he sent another of his trusted men to escort her to him. It would be the safest thing to do and besides he wanted to hear from the wizard''s own mouth everything that had happened.


    ¡°Alaric...¡± Leander began to say, forgetting the way he used to treat him in public, but before continuing he coughed several times, until he finally took a deep breath. His red face was drenched with sweat.


    ¡°Was it the arcantio?¡±, asked the Count.


    Still lying down the wizard began to answer.


    ¡°No, the arcantio is safe. Nothing but old potion leftovers... although quite strong... Too bad we don''t know what the combination was. It would have been such a discovery,¡± he joked.


    ¡°And the intruder?¡±


    ¡°I didn''t get a good look at him,¡± the wizard continue. ¡°He seemed like a young boy. Dark hair, green cloak, I think... Although there was a second when I thought I knew him from somewhere.¡±


    ¡°One of the disciples. An Initiate? An Acolyte?¡± he stared at the blue-robed young wizard who seemed to tense with discomfort.


    ¡°No, no one I recognized. But there was something...¡±


    ¡°What did the guards say?¡±


    ¡°It was all very quick. He must have escaped through the door after the explosion. They... couldn''t do anything,¡± Leander explained. "It wasn''t their fault... I..."


    ¡°No matter how fast he was, there was no way he could get out before the shields were activated. He must be hiding in the castle or he is one of us.¡± the Count concluded.


    ¡°Yes... although according to the wizards who were awakened by the explosion...¡±


    Before the stunned gaze of the Count, Leander went on to explain that, when his colleagues attempted to activate the shields, it took several minutes for them to start working.


    In the entire history of the castle, since the first wizards had been dispatched from the capital, nothing like this had ever happened. When they checked the seals, they found no errors in their design. The only explanation was that someone had manipulated them from somewhere else and throughout the castle there was only one person capable of doing so. The only one who knew the pattern of the primary key and shared with the Count the enormous responsibility of protecting the fortress and all its inhabitants.


    Leander gave the Count a penetrating look.


    ¡°No one but us three knew that the chimera was here.¡±


    The Count''s breathing became heavier and heavier.


    ¡°Unless of course you think...¡± Leander continued.


    ¡°I would never think that of you¡± his childhood friend immediately assured him.


    ¡°So...¡±


    ¡°Has anyone seen Eldrin?¡± asked the Count.


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    ¡°He has been in his room all this time, my lord,¡± answered the Acolyte. ¡°I know because, just before hearing the explosion, he sent for me to prepare some ointment for his legs. He apologizes deeply for not coming to our aid but the pain makes it impossible for him to climb the stairs.¡±


    ¡°Send two Masters accompanied by guards and have him transferred to the dungeon!¡± ordered the Count.


    The Acolyte looked at him in horror but did not dare to protest.


    ¡°Leander, can you get up?¡±


    His friend sat up slowly, holding on to the Count''s shoulder.


    ¡°I''m sorry, I don''t trust anyone else¡± said the noble. ¡°See to it that the dungeon is tightly sealed until I get there.¡±


    ¡°Just in case, I''ll need more than two other Masters. What will you do?¡±


    ¡°I''ll get Olivia. She should be here by now...¡±


    ¡°My lord!¡± Cormac, the captain of the guard, was running down the corridor towards them. His pale face, which contrasted with his red hair, told him that something terrible had happened.


    Olivia was not in her room. As soon as he heard this, Alaric''s world came crashing down.


    ¡°The intruder has kidnapped her!¡±


    His blood rushed to his head and he unsheathed his sword again.


    ¡°When I find him...¡±


    Cormac held the Count by the shoulders, preventing him from running away.


    ¡°All the guards are alerted... but... sir...¡± Cormac brought a hand close to his lord''s face to show him something.


    A dark braid, the color of ravens. It had been found among the lady''s clothes. Cormac himself had searched the room, noticing that her training clothes were missing, as well as the dagger he had given her.


    Hearing this, Leander let out a painful scream and grabbed his head as if he wanted to tear his hair out.


    ¡°The boy! How did I not notice?¡±


    For the rest of the night, no one spared any effort to search for Lady Olivia. Guards, wizards, servants, butlers, cooks, laundresses, blacksmiths, stewards, stables. All who were still asleep were dragged out of bed and no place was left unexplored.


    The search took a new turn when, while inspecting the south tower, one of the wizards had noticed that the bookcase was out of place. At first they had thought it was a product of the explosion, but just in case they conducted a magic power trace and found the seal that opened the secret door. From there it became easier to know the course Olivia had taken, although, to the wizards'' surprise, the magic trail ended in a passageway that led to their own latrines. From there, the tracks ended abruptly.


    The Count himself went to inspect the place. He weighed each of the possible escape routes and, as much as he didn''t want to accept it, he walked over to the narrow window and looked out. It had snowed all night, any trace should have been wiped away, but Alaric was no longer in any doubt.


    Olivia was not in the castle.


    He ordered the shields to be lifted, knowing that it had taken too long to do so. By then there were only two options. Either her daughter was already far away, going through the forest to avoid the paths where she knew she would be easily found.


    Or maybe... she had died from the cold.


    ¡°My Lord,¡± said a wizard upon receiving the order. ¡°Only the Leader of the Order can raise the shields.¡±


    Alaric ran towards the dungeon. As soon as he saw Eldrin''s figure behind the bars, he was ready to kill him at the least provocation.


    ¡°Raise the shields¡± he ordered.


    ¡°Of course, my Lord.¡±answered Eldrin, as if he had been interrupted reading in the library, although his hands were cuffed to the wall. ¡°If you would be so kind as to ask my brothers to remove the seals that prevent me from leaving here.¡±


    ¡°I know very well that there is nothing to stop you from doing so.¡±


    ¡°My Lord flatters me. But I am not all-powerful. I can only deactivate the seals whose patterns I know, and my brothers have gone to all the trouble of inventing new ones that are beyond my knowledge.¡±


    Alaric instructed the other wizards to remove the seals.


    Immediately, Eldrin placed a hand on the wall and several golden lines crawled like swift snakes slithering through the stones. It was done.


    ¡°Leander, come¡± said the Count. ¡°From now on I appoint you, Master Leander Kalas, Leader of the Order of Shadowrock. You are in charge of all the keys of the castle. I entrust you with the mission of revoking each of the seals created to date. I know it will be an arduous task.¡±


    ¡°It is an honor, my lord¡± Leander lowered his head.


    After the announcement, the Count asked the rest of the wizards to leave them alone.


    ¡°The Council will not like that you have made the appointment without consulting them,¡± Eldrin said, unsurprised.


    ¡°I will deal with them when the time comes, now tell me where you have sent my daughter.¡±


    ¡°It was all my lady''s idea. I had nothing to do with it. When you find her, she will tell you herself that I am innocent.¡±


    ¡°You helped her to scape. But before you convinced her to steal the chimera to...¡±


    ¡°So that she would escape and her betrothal would be annulled? But my lord... How am I going to risk everyting by endangering her life and angering the royal family. All my efforts would be wasted. But besides that... I''ve known her since she was born. I held her in my arms shortly after she was born. I''ve instructed her myself, like...¡±


    ¡°And for that great mistake I will never forgive myself ¡± the Count unsheathed the sword and rested its tip on Eldrin''s neck.


    ¡°Alaric!¡± his friend Leander grabbed him by the arm, trying to get him to withdraw the sword. ¡°If you kill him without a trial, the Council will take away your title and lands. You will never see your daughter again, who will be at the mercy of all these vultures.¡±


    Slowly, the Count lowered his sword.


    ¡°Make sure that it becomes impossible for him to leave this cell,¡± having said that, he turned away.


    ¡°I have no reason to escape, my Lord. I will take this as a well-deserved rest, an early retirement¡± Eldrin said, raising his voice more and more as he watched his lord walk away. ¡°And do not torment yourself! My Lady will appear, the marriage will be carried out and there will be no chimera to help you prevent it!

 Chapter 6 - The healer

    Amidst the snowstorm and shaking trees, the small windows of the humble hut of old Barthra, hermit and healer, gave a glimpse of the warmth inside. Although it was past after midnight, she continued to work in the candlelight and the crackling fire in the hearth.


    But that night she was not alone. A group of seven tiny, enchanting fairies had decided to station themselves on her work table. This was not unusual. Those little forest Elementals had known Barthra since she was a child. They knew the love and respect she felt for beings like them, unlike the wizards, who wanted to trap them to study their magical attributes.


    But as much as Barthra had taken the trouble to talk to some of them about this delicate matter, there was no point. They still didn''t seem to understand that it was impossible to force a magical being to lend its power unless it did so of its own free will.


    The wizards had actually forgotten long ago the true origin of their power. That was why they needed to learn tricks to manipulate reality.


    Barthra, on the other hand, a simple human, honored the Elementals, the beings closest to nature, since they themselves were born of its life force. They were the true masters of the forest even if the elves did not like to hear that.


    Gnomes of the earth, sylphs of the wind, salamanders of the fire, undines of the waters, dryads of the trees and the fairies of the flowers, like these ones before her.


    In fact, the latter were not supposed to be there. Their appearance was not due until early spring, and it was still too early. It had been quite a surprise for Barthra to see them sneaking through a small hole in the roof to try to protect themselves from the cold.


    The poor things were disoriented since they could not understand how they had awakened from their winter slumber. As if it were a nightmare, they had told the healer about a strange noise that had shaken their home. A bolt of lightning had crossed the forest from tree to tree, root to root, and had been moving away towards the center of their sacred territory.


    Not good, thought Barthra, who already imagined who could be involved in this matter.


    In any case, the old woman had a lot of work to do that night and for that reason she felt fortunate to have their help, as well as their candid company.


    Though she couldn''t help but be distracted by watching the graceful movements of their translucent wings, and petal dresses. While the old woman took the mortar and pestle and crushed the ingredients before pouring them into the mixture, the fairies had set about the task of moving the fragrant herbs back and forth and stirring the jars of ointments with wooden spoons, tools that were too big for them.Their determined little faces looked very cute as they put all their efforts into their chores.


    In the village several children had contracted illnesses so she found herself preparing different potions according to the symptoms she had seen in her tours of the surrounding areas. It was a lot of work for one person but she did not like to rely on the wizards of the castle, famous for their strange experiments and rather rough with their healing methods.


    Outside, meanwhile, the wind howled louder, making the windows shake and the door creak. Barthra stood oblivious, concentrating on her tasks. At some point, the verses of an ancient song that children used to sing in her village to invoke spring began to flow from her lips.


    Hearing her, the fairies stopped what they were doing and began to dance in a circle around the candles.


    In our world of glorious light,


    the stars dance


    the moon laughs.


    In our land of tender springs,


    while the wind whistles


    the brook sings.


    In our kingdom


    of ancient knights


    legends live on


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    and dreams take flight.


    And in our home


    of humble treasures,


    of flowers, of lights


    and whispers of the sea,


    those who love


    dance and sing,


    those who are brave


    laugh and dream.


    Suddenly, her hands stopped, alerted by a strange sensation that overcame her, as if an invisible presence was watching her from the darkness of the forest. She approached the window and looked out, searching perhaps for something similar to what the fairies had described to her.They flew to her shoulders, nestling between her long snow-colored hair and her winter clothes.In front of her window, she saw the eyes of a red fox gleam.


    Initially, that shouldn''t be strange. Every now and then some animal would come by to search for food. However, Barthra sensed something different. It seemed to her that this was not the innocent creature it appeared to be.


    The fairies also seemed to be drawn to it, but she did not glimpse any fear in their tiny, sweet little faces. They left the old woman''s protection and floated to the door, urging her to open it.


    When she did it, the door was blown open by the wind. Shaken by the gusts, the fairies flew with their trembling wings towards the fox, and floated around him.


    They petted his ears, stood on his muzzle and pulled at his tail. They seemed to be having fun.


    The fox, on the contrary, didn''t seem too happy with the attention and shook himself to stop them from bothering him further. The fairies reluctantly flitted away.


    For a moment, Barthra set aside her inicial suspicions and made way for the animal to enter into the coziness of the hut.


    But the fox didn''t move.


    In fact, it did something far more surprising.


    ¡°Are you the healer?¡± asked the fox.


    The old woman remained speechless.


    The fox''s ears twitched as he repeated the question again.


    - Are you...? - he sounded suspicious. His paws recoiled.


    Barthra reacted before the animal ran away.


    ¡°Yes, yes, it''s me.¡±


    The fox studied her for a second.


    ¡°I come on behalf of the Count''s daughter.¡±


    Well, well, thought the woman, apparently that night in the Whispering Forest would be unlike any other.


    Guided by the fox and in the company of the fairies, who protected themselves from the storm in the pockets of her thick coat, Barthra went through the forest to find the young noblewoman she had taken care of since she was a child, as well as her father a few decades before.


    She found her under a fir tree, trembling violently. Her face was white and her lips were purple. She could not move and Barthra did not possess the strength to carry her on her own. But she did not have to do anything as the fairies, realizing her predicament, began to shake their wings, emitting sounds of small bells.


    There was a crunching sound of something stirring the ground and in the snow a small hole opened up through which about twenty small gnomes of stout build and wrinkled skin began to emerge. Their thick beards were covered with moss, leaves, dirt and snowflakes.


    The fox, who had stayed behind the old woman as the hole appeared, now watched in amazement as the gnomes positioned themselves around Olivia and with the greatest of ease lifted her up and carried her away without even burying their feet in the snow. Thus they continued all the way without pause to the healer''s hut.


    Once inside, she was placed in front of the fireplace and covered with several blankets. The old woman prepared a hot infusion that she made the barealy conscious girl drink. She did not even have the strength to grasp the cup with her own hands, but as she sipped it little by little the pink color returned to her cheeks. After this, the old woman put some of the stew she had been cooking on the hearth into the girl''s mouth.


    Olivia, still weak and trembling, looked at the old woman and the gnomes with gratitude and awe. She turned her eyes to the fox, who, exhausted, had fallen asleep next to her by the fireplace. The fairies had laid down on top of his fur as if it were a comfortable pillow.


    In gratitude, the old woman gave the gnomes a jar of honey and a bag of seeds. The gnomes went out happily making their little steps sound until they disappeared in the snow.


    Due to the excitement of that night, Olivia could not fall asleep, so she began to tell Barthra everything that had happened that so far. The old woman was not surprised when she heard the truth about the fox, which in the end was not a fox at all. Rather, it made sense because at no time did she think it was a common animal.


    Nor had she ever believed she would live long enough to see a chimera. What an amazing time to be alive. That, if known, would shock the Council and mobilize the wizards of the entire kingdom.


    But on this she made no comment because she did not want to put any more weight on the shoulders of her dear, impulsive girl.


    ¡°So...¡± Barthra began to say, once the story was finished. ¡°You have escaped from your father... Well done! That will teach him.¡±


    ¡°Won''t he punish you for helping me?¡±


    ¡°My girl, I''ve known him since he was born. I know how to handle him. Although... you shouldn''t have gone to this length... You know the laws of this forest, it was enough that...¡±


    Olivia interrupted her.


    ¡°No, she can''t know I''m here.¡±


    The old woman sighed.


    ¡°Yes, maybe it''s for the best. You''ll know, you''re almost grown up. Anyway, don''t be ashamed to accept my help. Stay here as long as you need to.¡±


    ¡°I''d like to stay a while longer but at any moment the shields will be dropped and we''ll have to leave as soon as the sun comes up.¡±


    ¡°By tomorrow you won''t have recovered yet.¡±


    ¡°If we don''t leave right away, they will find us. This will be the first place my father will come for me.¡±


    ¡°You are right. But let me worry about that... What do you say, ladies?¡±


    The fairies looked at each other smiling mischievously. They didn''t always have the occasion to tease the wizards.


    The next morning, as soon as the wind died down and the sun began its ascent, the fairies left the hut to summon their gnome friends again, along with the salamanders and the sylphs. They also awakened the dryads and undines, who felt a little annoyed to see their sleep disturbed. However, when the flower fairies told them about their plan, that corner of the forest turned into a warm party even in the midst of the winter cold.

 Chapter 7- The allies

    Olivia slowly opened her eyes, feeling the warm glow of the sun filtering through the windows. A soft, comforting flame continued to burn in the fireplace, while the scent of dried herbs hanging from the ceiling permeated the air, mingling with the smell of burning wood.


    Next to her, the fox continued to sleep, tucked in by its own fluffy tail. She felt like petting him but it seemed disrespectful.


    There was no sign of the healer or the lovely fairies.


    For a few minutes, she took the time to contemplate the interior of the room. In spite of her humility, old Barthra had created a cozy home full of charm. Her hut, built with logs, mud and straw covered with vines, blended perfectly with its surroundings as if nature itself had made it grow like another tree in the forest. Inside the furniture was simple but comfortable, with wooden chairs and tables and decorative cushions. The walls and floor were covered with tapestries and hand-woven rugs. Jars of healing powders, potions and ointments were neatly lined up on the table and shelves.


    During her childhood, she had visited the hut many times accompanied by her father, who held a special fondness for the old woman. They used to escape there some afternoons just to forget who they were and the responsibilities that awaited on their return. If anyone had seen them from afar wearing simple clothes while playing or helping Barthra with her daily chores, they would have been taken for a family of commoners.


    Olivia had never met her grandparents but she knew the story of her tyrannical grandfather who had made life miserable for his poor wife, blaming her for the fact that her weak body had failed to give him more than a single sickly heir who was left under the care of the renowned healer who had been summoned from a distant land.


    Unfortunately, Barthra failed to save the newborn''s mother and with the old count''s permission she devoted herself to providing the child with the basic care and affection he needed so badly until he grew strong enough to begin his training as a future Guardian of the Circle. For her services, the old Count intended to reward her handsomely, but she simply asked to be granted a small corner in the forest to build her little house.


    And now, because of Olivia, perhaps Barthra and her father would be at odds for life.


    She now watched as the fox woke up next to her and exhaled a slow yawn.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± she greeted him in a singsong voice.


    The fox emitted a grunt and began to scratch one ear. Looking away, as if uncomfortable, he asked:


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I feel drowsy, but better.¡±


    The fox continued without looking at her, as he studied his surroundings.


    ¡°Don''t you think you overdid it a little?¡± he asked suddenly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Your rescue mission. Last night you almost died... not once... but twice.¡±


    ¡°I told you. I was to blame...¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, sure, the guilt... but... after all... you don''t know me.¡±


    ¡°Well... you''re a chimera... it''s my duty to protect...¡±


    ¡°And what do you know about chimeras?¡± he abruptly interrupted her.


    ¡°I''ve read something... they are unique beings that...¡±


    ¡°We are enemies.¡±


    Olivia sighed.


    ¡°We were enemies... a hundred years ago...¡± she continued.


    ¡°Chimeras never joined the Covenant, so we''re still at war.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense. I don''t regret saving you. I''d do it again a hundred times over.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t make sense,¡± the fox shook his head. ¡°You''re abandoning your father for a stranger.¡±


    ¡°I had other reasons for abandoning him but it seemed to me that saving you was the best excuse.¡±


    ¡°What will happen to your wedding then?¡±


    ¡°Well... I guess it will be called off...¡±


    ¡°What about your father? I suppose there will be consequences.¡±


    Olivia was already losing her patience.


    ¡°Why do you care so much? Haven''t you ever disobeyed your own father?¡±


    The fox didn''t answer and Olivia immediately regretted what she had said. For some reason unknown to her, he might be alone in the world and she just had hit the nail on the head.


    ¡°It''s not that I didn''t want to get married,¡± she explained, changing the subject. ¡°In fact, I was willing to do it ... I don''t know the prince, maybe he is a terrible person or the opposite. All I wanted was freedom.¡±


    ¡°Freedom?¡± the fox''s voice sounded mocking.


    ¡°Yes, by getting married I would become the mistress of my own life. I would be an adult, no one would lock me in my room anymore.¡±


    ¡°And you would do that by chaining yourself to another man? What if he locks you up too?¡±


    ¡°I no longer have to worry anyway.¡±


    ¡°Luckily, because your plan was so flawed. That''s not freedom.¡±


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    ¡°Do you even know what freedom is?¡±


    ¡°I''m free to go wherever I want.¡±


    ¡°Despite being chased? Why didn''t you go back to the mountains?¡±


    The fox did not answer and Olivia changed her strategy.


    ¡°Listen. You and I want the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Which is...?¡±


    ¡°We are alone and we want to be masters of our own life.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself.¡±


    ¡°I''ve never had any real friends, at least not my age... By the way, how old are you?¡±


    The fox looked away.


    ¡°Well, well, we''ve just met. I won''t insist,¡± the girl retracted. ¡°But in the future I would like us to be friends. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°No promises.¡±


    ¡°Then... we''ll be allies. At least for the moment, while we get to know each other,¡± Olivia put her hand to her heart and began to declare solemnly. ¡°I, Lady Olivia of Shadowrock, decree from now on that you... ah...¡± she paused in embarrassment. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    The fox turned his head again.


    ¡°Chimeras don''t have names.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t make sense! What do you call each other when...?¡±


    ¡°What nonsense... well, with howls... or with ...¡±


    ¡°Besides, I''m sure I read somewhere about a legendary chimera...¡±


    ¡°You read too much. I''m sure that was made up by a human.¡±


    ¡°I swear I read it somewhere...¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°Never mind. I''ll give you one myself.¡±


    The fox''s ears flicked back and forth nervously.


    ¡°You tried that once and look how we ended up.¡±


    ¡°But I thought you were a real cat!¡± she protested.


    He let out a snort, but remained thoughtful. After a moment he asked curiously:


    ¡°And now... what name would you give me?¡±


    Olivia puckered her lips.


    ¡°Let me think... well... Godric...¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± he grunted.


    ¡°Lyndon.¡±


    ¡°Worse.¡±


    ¡°Galen? Finnian? Lucian? Rowan?¡± Olivia went on with ten more names but none of them appealed to the fox.


    ¡°Yeah, give it up. You''re not good at this.¡±


    ¡°Silas?¡±


    The chimera shuddered.


    ¡°Silas!¡± the girl repeated with excitement.


    ¡°Now, now, that''s enough. Shut up.¡±


    ¡°His name was Silas! The most powerful chimera of all! On his back rode the ancient giant king during the war between the Prairie and Forest Clans! I knew I had read it somewhere!¡±


    ¡°That was written by humans...¡±


    ¡°I''ll call you Silas then!¡±


    ¡°As you wish... if that will keep you quiet,¡± the fox gave up but didn''t seem bothered by his new name.


    ¡°I''m sure you''ll be as powerful as him one day.¡±


    Now the fox was annoyed, as if his pride had been hurt.


    ¡°Don''t make fun of me!¡±


    ¡°I mean it!¡± Olivia''s words sounded sincere. ¡°Listen, I have a plan. I wasn''t sure at first but now I''ve made up my mind. I want to continue training my magic to reach Master level and I''m sure you also want to become stronger to control your transformations.¡±


    ¡°Who told you I can''t control them?¡±


    ¡°In the latrines... before jumping...¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    ¡°And I''ve only seen you in three forms so far...¡±


    ¡°I can turn into a wolf and eat you right now.¡±


    Olivia crossed her arms.


    ¡°All right, you do that. I''ll wait for you.¡±


    The fox growled.


    ¡°I haven''t been eating properly. I need more energy, especially when dealing with larger animals and this lady''s food does not...¡±


    ¡°If you come with me, I promise you''ll get stronger,¡± Olivia interrupted him.


    He narrowed his eyes with suspicion.


    ¡°And where are you supposed to go?¡±


    The girl took a deep breath before answering.


    ¡°To the Isle of Demons.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a wonderful place, I wonder what it''s like,¡± he said sarcastically.


    ¡°No, no, wait, that''s the name people usually use... but actually the Fellowship of the Island lives there...¡±


    The fox''s ears perked up.


    ¡°The hybrids?¡±


    ¡°That''s right!¡±


    ¡°The hybrids are also enemies of the chimeras.¡±


    Must be because the chimeras are so hard-headed, Olivia thought.


    ¡°It was a centur...¡±


    ¡°And what do hybrids have to do with it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Well... there is a magic academy there, run by the most powerful wizard in Terrarkana. Rumor has it that he may have reached the level of Architect.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Olivia went on by explaining that humans who practiced magic were divided into four groups according to their ability to manipulate the Ethereal Codes: Initiate, Acolyte, Master, and Archmage. It took at least four years of practice to reach each level. She, for example, was very close to becoming an Acolyte. On the other hand, the most powerful Masters could lead orders, such as Eldrin; while Archmages were those who belonged to the Conclave, a group of five wizards who presided over the Council and whose power was equal to that of the royal family.


    However, there were three more levels, impossible for an ordinary human to reach. No one was known to have reached the level of Architect, unless it was an elf, a sirenian, a giant or the nymph Nemertyss herself. In theory, hybrids as well, although no cases had been proven. Supposedly, the Archmage of the Island was supposed to be a hybrid who could have reached that level, but he was someone very mysterious who, for political reasons, was kept out of the Conclave.


    In contrast, the only Alchemist recorded in the Chronicles had been the legendary Blue Dragon, forger of life in Terrarkana. Of course, above him were the celestial travelers, also known as Eternals.


    ¡°And where do chimeras come into all that?¡± asked the fox.


    Olivia blushed.


    ¡°Unfortunately, there are no records about that, although it is mentioned that they were very powerful. No wonder the giants...¡±


    ¡°They used us as pets,¡± he scoffed.


    Olivia was not going to give up.


    ¡°Anyway, if there''s anyone in the kingdom who should know how to train a chimera it should be the Archmage of the Island.¡±


    ¡°And why would he want to help me?¡±


    ¡°The Fellowship is totally neutral and it was they who were responsible for concluding the peace treaty that ended the last war. Their only interest is knowledge and harmony between the races.¡±


    A long silence followed. The chimera took his time to assimilate all that he had told her.


    ¡°How far away is it?¡± he finally asked.


    It would not be easy. They should continue through the forest, avoid the roads and the areas near the Dragon Lake. Once they had completed that stage, they would have to reach Stormbrace Port and from there embark on a ship. Walking at a good pace it would take them about fifteen days, unless they managed to get a horse.


    ¡°Don''t think I''m going to turn into one, let alone ride me,¡± warned the fox.


    ¡°I would never ask you to... do that...¡± Olivia blushed again. ¡°Well then...¡± she sighed. ¡°For me, there''s no turning back now. If I return, my father won''t let me forget my betrayal for the rest of my life. At least, I''ll try to get to the island first. What do you say?


    ¡°If you get caught, I''ll escape and you''ll have to fend for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Fine, but if they catch you, I''ll rescue you again.¡±


    ¡°You''re impossible,¡± the fox shook his head as if rolling his eyes.


    ¡°Don''t worry,¡± Olivia reassured him. ¡°I don''t expect you to change your mind. You don''t owe me anything. You are free to leave whenever you want.¡±


    ¡°Fine, we have a deal."


    ¡°Ah, but first...¡±


    ¡°What now?¡± growled the fox.


    ¡°You said the war wasn''t over yet... well... we''ll end it here and now.¡±


    ¡°What?!?¡±


    This time Olivia held out her hand and beckoned the fox to place its paw on it. Though hesitant, the creature did so. Olivia then, with much ceremony, began to recite her own version of the Covenant of Eternal Harmony''s Sacred Oath, proclaimed a hundred years ago by the various races of Terrarkana, who gathered at the central spot of what was now called the Circle of Truce.


    I, Olivia of Shadowrock, and you, Silas of the Mountain Clan, two souls who have known discord, have assembled here and now with the longing to put our ancient grudges behind us, and extend our hands in a gesture of reconciliation.


    This act of peace is a proof of our strong will and deep commitment to cultivate harmony and understanding among us all. May we remember this moment not only in times of tranquility, but also in times of challenge, when our differences threaten to divide us again.


    May this first step lead us to a lasting friendship, may our actions reflect our genuine desire to build a better future together. May we find in our alliance a new beginning, filled with respect, compassion and solidarity.


    May it be so, now and always.


    As Olivia''s words hung in the air, another long silence descended, only broken by strange noises that made them stop their ears.


    It took them a while to realize, but there was no doubt about it.


    From the distance, through the thick forest, they heard the screams of men, combative and distorted, like the distant echo of a bloody battle.

 Chapter 8 - The defeated

    For the rest of his life, Lord Alaric of Shadowrock would never forget that fierce battle, so different from any other he had faced before.


    That same morning, after his daughter''s disappearance, he left the castle in charge of Cormac and Leander to go into the forest. It was the only place where Olivia could have taken refuge from the intense cold.


    He was accompanied by about fifteen soldiers and five wizards, all on horseback and armed with swords. The plan was to split up into different groups to try to cover as much ground as possible. Just in case, he had sent another search party to the roads that connected the nearest villages, although he knew very well that he would not get any results from there.


    Under a blanket of whiteness, the forest lay in a deep slumber, immersed in an eerie silence. The snow crunched under the trot of the horses, the wind howled through the trees, accompanied by the occasional solitary caw of a crow. Through the dense branches, the light filtered faintly, infusing the forest with an air of mystery.


    Since that portion of the forest belonged to the Circle, no danger was to be feared. However, Alaric could not help noticing the cautiousness of the animals, which, despite the haste imposed by their riders, advanced slowly, as if fearing a presence that the human eye had not yet managed to perceive.


    Following his instinct, the Count had decided to head towards Barthra''s hut. Even if this decision could pose a risk and make him lose more time, he trusted in the special bond the old woman had with the forest beings, which could help them guide their search, even if Olivia wasn''t there.


    His clever, rebellious daughter would have thought of that already, of course, though Alaric was hopeful that she hadn''t wandered far without first saying goodbye to the woman she''d treated all her life like a grandmother.


    That was what the Count was ruminating on, when a group of playful and curious fairies approached the party.


    At first they ignored them, but soon the little beings began to play mischief. They fluttered around in circles, tugged at the animals'' manes, buzzed near their ears and rested their tiny feet on their muzzles. The horses then whinnied and shook their heads, trying to drive them away as if they were annoying flies.


    That scene didn''t fit at all. It was still a couple of weeks before the snow began to melt. They should be sleeping, he thought curiously, when, suddenly, the fairies increased the speed of their flight until they ended up spinning in frantic circles like a swarm of angry bees. They had done nothing to disturb them, although one of the accompanying wizards tried to catch one. Still, Alaric was doubtful. It had not seemed to him reason enough for them to react that way.


    Without warning, mounds of snow began to rise and take strange shapes that gradually molded into a score of snowmen who rushed straight at them with the unmistakable intention of making an offensive. The soldiers quickly unsheathed their swords and, with a few blows, added to the spells of the wizards, managed to disintegrate the walking figures.But they had no time to take a breath because the earth beneath them began to shake violently. The horses reared up on two legs and some of the men fell to the ground. Great roots erupted from the soil and grabbed horses and humans by their limbs, shaking them like bunches of grapes about to be devoured. The first to be wrapped from head to toe were the wizards, who, without their free hands, could not invoke the seals.


    The Count and a few other soldiers who were still standing managed to cut some roots that almost caught them by the feet, but without any explanation they were immediately attacked by what seemed to be whirlwinds of fire that had appeared out of nowhere and started to push them back. Some of the stunned remaining men were catapulted backwards or had to scramble on the ground to put out the fire that had begun to burn in their clothes.


    In the midst of the screams, the tremors and the relentless attack, the Count took refuge behind a huge rock among the trees, where the only wizards who had escaped in time had coincidentally taken refuge.


    ¡°Why don''t you defend yourself?¡± shouted the Count in outrage.


    ¡°My Lord...¡± the wizard was shaking from head to toe. ¡°Elementals are immune to our magic!¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°It''s always been like that! It''s impossible to use the Codes against them!¡±


    ¡°And I''m hearing about this just now!?¡±


    ¡°Never in the history of our kingdom have they ever attacked any creature! There was nothing to worry about! They''re supposed to be peaceful!¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so!?¡± replied his master sarcastically.


    Behind his back, the Count felt something crawling through the snow, and when he intended to peek over the rock he found that the trees around him had begun to shift into a tight circle.


    Defeated, Alaric threw his sword to the ground. Then he knelt down and raised both hands in surrender. With that gesture he managed to make the whirlwinds die down and the ground stop shaking, but the roots still enveloped them both from head to toe and they ended up completely immobilized.


    Four days. Four days lasted their inexplicable imprisonment, although as the hours passed some suspicions were taking shape in his head. It was as if the Elementals had taken them hostage awaiting for some payment in exchange for their ransom.


    Still, despite the attack, once captured and knowing that the men could not defend themselves, the magical beings returned to their usual behavior, although they showed no signs of wanting to free them.


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    The salamanders, besides patrolling the surroundings, lit a fire to protect them from the cold. The gnomes took care of gathering and caring for their horses, while the dryads fed the warriors with roots, mushrooms and nuts that had been left stored in hollows of trees. The undines healed their wounds and made them drink water from small bowls made from bark.


    As for the sylphs, and the same fairies that had started it all, they danced around their captives, creating a mystical and delicate music, as if it were a kind of artistic performance, especially designed with the innocent intention of making that never-ending wait more bearable.


    On the second day, Cormac, unsettled by the lack of news from his master, arrived on the scene with another small group of soldiers. Upon encountering the disconcerting scene, they tried to rescue the prisoners, but ended up being captured by the same efficient methods.It was Leander who finally had the courage to approach, accompanied by some trembling servants, who carried in their hands a large offering of delicacies especially prepared for the Elementals. The little beings were grateful but did not pay attention to the words of the wizard, who was trying to mediate with them, although they forgave him from being captured nevertheless.


    Finally, at the end of the fourth day, the hostages were released and the Elementals retreated into the forest, without providing a single clue as to the real reason why they had taken them prisoner in the first place.


    With their spirits low, the soldiers retreated to the castle to regain their strength and to resume the excursion. The next morning, however, despite Cormac''s protests, this time the Count decided to set out alone on his horse. He would not go too far though, he assured him.


    He retraced the same path as the first day, only this time no elemental emerged from the trees to stop him and so he made it to Barthra''s hut without any trouble.


    The healer saw him approaching through the window and went out to greet him, as she had done so many times since he was a child escaping from his father''s abuse, only now the boy had become a man desperate to protect his daughter.


    ¡°Good morning, Your Excellency,¡± she greeted him with a slight bow of her head.


    ¡°Barthra...¡± this time Alaric did not come closer to give her a hug, but the old woman was not affected by that. ¡°Have you seen her?¡±


    ¡°Who, my Lord?¡±


    The Count sighed.


    ¡°Then... she is here.¡±


    ¡°There is no one here but me,¡± she waved her hand to invite him in. ¡°You may come in if you like.¡±


    He did not move.


    ¡°So she was here...¡± he put a hand to his forehead. ¡°I don''t quite know what you did, but it sure violates some of the laws that govern the Circle.¡±


    ¡°I don''t know what you mean, Your Grace,¡± she replied without losing her cool.


    ¡°The Elementals.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes! I thought I had heard something. As if they were throwing a party. Very strange... for winter, of course. Those rascals come to steal my mead from time to time, and I''m sure it must have driven them mad.¡±


    ¡°It was you, Barthra! If you ever cared for me, please, do not be dishonest now.¡±


    ¡°Truly, My Lord. Do you really think an old weakling like me has power over those ancient creatures? If a human could control them, he would rise empires.


    Alaric''s lips twisted into a cynical smile.


    ¡°In the end, you are just like Eldrin,¡± he said.


    Barthra''s eyes darkened.


    ¡°Do not dare compare me to that scheming wizard. I have done nothing...¡±


    ¡°Just tell the truth then, please, tell me the truth! Do not force me to...¡±


    Alaric felt his throat tighten. In less than a week, he was losing everything he held dearest.


    ¡°Why not come in? I will prepare a special tea to calm your nerves,¡± she approached the door, but Alaric did not follow.


    ¡°If you come between my daughter and me, Barthra, I will never forgive you.¡±


    Barthra''s voice grew stern.


    ¡°You demand the truth from me when you have taken away that poor girl''s chance to...¡±


    ¡°Have you told her then?¡± he asked, terrified.


    ¡°I have not betrayed you, Mi Lord.¡±


    ¡°Yes... you have.¡±


    ¡°Then... you can take me to the dungeon,¡± the old woman extended her hands.


    Alaric ignored her gesture.


    "Of all people, I thought you understood why I did what I did."


    "Of course I understand, but fear has led you to make wrong decisions. If you had trusted her more instead of..."


    "Stop! Do not continue! She''s my daughter! While you are nothing to her! You have no right! All you had to do was keeping her safe until I could reach her!" The Count''s voice broke, and his eyes grew moist. "I didn''t even have a chance to talk to her... I try to remember what was the last thing I said to her... and I can''t... I can''t... And you, Barthra, took that away from me!"


    Barthra pressed her lips together and sighed of resignation. Then she lowered her head.


    "You''re right, I''ve gone too far. Forgive me. I''m nothing more than a pathetic old woman leading a solitary life in the forest."


    Alaric took a few minutes to regain his composure, and when he finally spoke, he did so as the Count of Shadowrock.


    "For your past services, I will spare your life and I will not take away your freedom. However, I forbid you from approaching the castle from now on, and before my daughter returns, you must leave this hut and never ever return. Consider yourself expelled from the Circle of Truce."


    Barthra continued to keep her head down.


    "I will obey your decision. Before spring arrives, I will be gone."


    The Count turned around to begin his return. Barthra finally raised her head and followed him.


    "My Lord..."


    About to ride his horse, he stopped, wishing with all his heart that she had reconsidered.


    "Before we say our last goodbye... Let me recite an old song from my village that was sung to wish travelers good luck. Perhaps you remember it. When you were a child, I sang it to you every time your father took you on his long journeys."


    The Count nodded, closing his eyes.


    Barthra took a deep breath and began to repeat the verses she had already recited to Olivia and Silas two days before they began their journey through the Whispering Forest:


    Across far lands,


    and endless skies,


    fortune favors


    those who try.


    Through oceans deep


    and mountains high,


    for those who seek


    the stars will shine.


    The journey ahead


    is where you belong.


    When facing fear,


    embrace your hopes.


    With joy in your heart,


    and a song on your lips,


    may your courage endure,


    with each passing eclipse.


    And where the unknown lies,


    amid devious trails,


    may kindness be your guide


    as you continue


    sailing away.


    When the old woman finished, the Count slowly opened his eyes.


    "Goodbye, Barthra."


    "Farewell, My Lord."

 Chapter 9 - The travelers

    The elders had warned him.


    Never go beyond the mountains where humans live.


    Or you''ll end up getting involved with an insufferable human girl.


    They had been traveling for three days now, although to Silas, still in his fox form, it didn''t seem that they had made much progress.


    They had agreed that the safest thing to do was to continue along the edges of the forest, without going too deep, although he could feel the difference in the vegetation that was gradually changing. The more common trees that he knew well, such as firs and oaks, were becoming scarcer and scarcer. Instead, the trees he saw now had their branches twisted and some even kept their bright, uniquely shaped leaves with thorns.


    Despite their ugliness, they had proved to be useful to protect themselves from the cold at night, since among their strange shapes a kind of cave, similar to a nest, could be found from time to time.


    Every now and then he heard whispers of voices that put him on alert, but Olivia calmed him down immediately. They were Elementals, perhaps hiding inside logs or behind branches, waiting for the two to move away. Not all of them were friendly like Barthra''s friends, but, even so, they were not capable of harm either.


    Olivia reckoned they must be passing near Dragon Lake, where a festival would be held a couple of weeks later. According to her, it was an old tradition of the Lake Village, whose inhabitants, with each new spring, looked forward to watching what was known as the Return of the Sirenians. A unique spectacle whose fame caused the roads to be crowded with wagons of travelers and merchants in the days leading up to its beginning.


    Although by then they should be far away from the lake, on their way to Stormbrace, Olivia could not stop talking about the festival. In fact, she had not stopped talking in the three days they had been walking, and only managed to close her mouth when the night came and she could no longer bear the fatigue.


    ¡°My father never took me to the festival,¡± she repeated over and over again. ¡°I don''t know how many times I asked him... I would have liked to see it this year, but we can''t risk someone finding out. But he went every year without fail, even if disaster struck. He would leave me in charge of Eldrin and run off. Of course, he had to be present as the Guardian of Circle, but it never seemed to me that he saw it as a duty, quite the contrary. I think he even enjoyed it and when I asked him to describe what happened when he saw the Sirenians, all he would do was give me a very vague idea. Very frustrating indeed. Same thing when he would go on trips. Sometimes he would bring me some trinket as a gift, but he would hardly tell me anything. He would say that affairs in the capital were boring, and nothing serious was going on in the rest of the kingdom. Lies! I''ve been cooped up reading books all my life, I know all the history of the kingdom, and he thinks he can fool me by telling me that we live in a peaceful land where nothing happens. Although, come to think of it, he didn''t like to go on trips. Those commitments did bore him. So I guess it was the Return of the Sirenians that got him excited. But he never wanted to share that with me. Eldrin, on the other hand, has always supported me, cared about my education, taught me how to teach magic, and even got Cormac to help me with the sword, even though I''m not very good, and do worse with the bow because I have poor aim. Magic is the only thing I''m good at, but my father has never been interested in motivating me to continue. What''s more, he has put obstacles in Eldrin''s way to teach me. And all this I couldn''t tell anyone. Eldrin has always been very respectful of my father, and would not allow me to criticize him. As for Leander, he has always been my father''s friend since childhood and complies with everything he orders without complaint, as well as Cormac. Of course, I had no one to talk to. Well, there was Barthra but it wasn''t the same. I was forbidden to go to the village. I was only allowed to go to her hut, always escorted by my father or someone else. Never alone. I tried to make friends with some of the maids, but I soon realized that it was no use. Some of them were afraid of me because of my position, and I think others were trying to gain my trust in order to marry my father.... Thank goodness I can trust you now. It''s good to talk about things to get them off my chest.¡±


    Chimeras had no deities to pray to, but Silas would have liked to have the possibility of begging any of them for the ability to turn into a bear and eat her in one bite, or at least to split him with a celestial lightning bolt so that he would no longer have to listen to her.


    Sometimes he managed to get away with the excuse that he had to hunt for food. He was becoming more skilled, and had managed to catch a couple of hares. He would have liked to roast them, but Olivia didn''t know how to start a fire.


    The food at the castle had ruined him, he lamented now. At night he kept dreaming of the huge feasts the cooks were busily preparing in their enormous kitchen. Dishes of roasted venison, boar, and poultry, accompanied by hearty bread, root vegetables, and thick soups. Sometimes he woke up drooling. Besides winter clothes for Olivia, Barthra had given them a saddlebag full of food, but just in case he continued with his hunting in case some mishap delayed them.


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    In addition to that endless speech and the bad food, he also had to put up with the irritating caution that had suddenly invaded the once fearless chattering girl. At this rate, they would never leave the forest behind. One of the reasons he had agreed to accompany her was because he had seen her as very determined, however, since they had been moving farther and farther away from the castle, she had become increasingly cautious.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked tiredly, when she stopped for the tenth time on the morning of the fourth day.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± she sighed. ¡°I thought I heard something suspicious.¡±


    ¡°I can scent any predator from far away. There''s no need to...¡±


    ¡°I don''t care about predators,¡± she confessed.


    ¡°So?¡± the fox''s ears twitched.


    She took a deep breath before speaking.


    Oh, no, not again, thought the fox.


    ¡°Have you heard anything about the Lady of the Whispering Forest?¡± she asked.


    ¡°The elf queen?¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn''t call her a queen. She''s really nothing more than the leader of her family branch. What was once known as the Forest Clan no longer exists. The Great Elven Forest that once stood suffered significant changes after the arrival of the humans.¡±


    ¡°I am not surprised.¡±


    She ignored him.


    ¡°Actually, that was a product of elven rivalry. It is now divided into three families. The Whispering Forest, the Memory Forest and the Mirror Forest. The castle was built between the first two. The Lady of this forest, moreover, granted, as part of the Covenant, an important extension of her former domain. Actually, we have not yet left the Circle behind.¡±


    ¡°You have never left the castle but you know the territory well,¡± Silas acknowledged, and, although it was only an observation, he felt annoyed when he saw her smiling, as if he had unintentionally paid her a compliment.


    ¡°You have no idea how many times I have studied the maps dreaming that someday my father would take me on his travels!¡±


    Silas was sick of hearing about the Count, especially after the conversation he had with him the night of their escape, but he was suddenly curious about something that made no sense to the chimera.


    ¡°Aren''t you supposed to be the next Guardian?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, unless I married the prince. That''s why my father wanted to prevent the marriage. I guess...¡± Olivia began to ruffle her hair. ¡°Oh, I don''t know anymore!¡±


    ¡°Then you don''t care what happens to the Circle.¡±


    Olivia stopped abruptly and stared at him.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, you wanted to get married before, and now you''re running away to a distant island. As far as I can see, you never wanted to be a Guardian.¡±


    ¡°Of course I do!¡± Olivia protested, her voice breaking. ¡°But... I was drowning... Don''t you know how that feels?¡±


    Silas didn''t know what it was like to drown. He had lived all his life in the mountains. But he did know what it was like to fall, maybe that was similar. To feel the ground beneath his feet vanishing, to find nothing to hold on to, to lose what little control he had over his body, to be suspended in mid-air only to plummet to the ground and, finally, darkness.


    But he didn''t share any of that with Olivia.


    ¡°Well...¡± he watched the thicket as if distracted. ¡°Returning to your Lady of the Forest... what worries you anyway? There is supposed to be peace between elves and humans.¡±


    ¡°I just don''t want to attract her attention. She knows my father. If she finds us, she might force us to return.¡±


    ¡°It makes sense...¡± the fox agreed. ¡°I don''t want to run into her either. I don''t know how she will react to a chimera.¡±


    ¡°I can''t imagine it either.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you haven''t used magic since we left the hut?¡±


    ¡°That''s exactly right. Magic leaves traces. A normal person wouldn''t be able to perceive it but a wizard... or an elf would notice it right away. I''m not used to create seals either. I am an Initiate, though somewhat advanced, Eldrin told me, but I think he was exaggerating. I''ve barely finished learning how to decipher the Codes and...¡±


    ¡°The Ethereal Codes? I''ve heard it several times but I don''t quite understand what they are...¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Olivia''s face lit up, and the fox feared that she was going to start with another speech again. ¡°Well... imagine the world as if it were a book...¡±


    ¡°I''ve never read a book...¡±


    ¡°Really? And how did you learn to read?¡±


    The fox looked to the side.


    ¡°Don''t tell me that...!¡±


    ¡°Hey, princess,¡± he growled. ¡°Not everyone can learn to read. I''m sure there are plenty of people in your beloved kingdom who can''t either.¡±


    ¡°I''m no princess!¡±


    ¡°Almost! You can''t even cook me proper food.¡±


    ¡°Cook... you? What if I teach you?¡±


    ¡°Magic?¡± the fox''s ears perked up.


    ¡°No, to read.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance. It would be more useful to learn how to deal with those codes...¡±


    ¡°Well, it''s the same thing. How can you acquire knowledge if you can''t read a book?¡±


    Faced with this logic, the fox had little to say.


    ¡°Besides...¡± Olivia continued. ¡°You belong to a magical race, what good are the Codes to you?¡±


    To use them against the wizards and elves, to take revenge, to kill, to erase them from the world, including you, stupid innocent girl, the chimera thought.


    That human was driving him crazy, but now in an unknown land he depended on her to survive. He could not risk being separated from her. He had to hold on and get to the damn island.


    ¡°What''s that noise?¡± Olivia asked suddenly.


    The fox''s body tensed. He had been distracted by his own thoughts.


    Suddenly, a pungent, earthy smell invaded his nose.


    But it was too late to react.


    Camouflaged in the shadows of the trees they discovered the imposing figure of an ogre staring at them with hungry eyes.

 Chapter 10 - The hideout

    ¡°Don''t move,¡± Olivia ordered him in a whisper.


    Even if Silas had wanted to move, he would not have been able to. A shiver ran down his back, as the ogre walked forward, with his back hunched, and his thick arms hanging off his body, as if they weighed him down,


    I need to run, I need to run, he thought, but his feet couldn''t get off the ground. Olivia was as petrified as he was. They both couldn''t stop watching the huge feet rising and sinking into the snow that attenuated the force of the creature''s footsteps.


    When the ogre stopped a meter away from them, his figure blocked the little light that filtered through the branches, covering them with a fateful shadow. An intense aroma of damp earth, rotting leaves, wild plants and grasses surrounded them.


    He was twice as tall as Olivia, whose head must have barely reached its waist. His skin was a mixture of green and brown colors, rough, like the bark of trees, covered in some parts by mosses and leaves, which must have helped him blend in with the vegetation to hunt his prey, Silas thought.


    His face was furrowed with scars, as if he had fought with equally fierce beasts. His eyes, a deep emerald, might have been considered beautiful had they not been overshadowed by his powerful jaw and the fangs that emerged from his stern mouth.


    Silas watched his nostrils flaring. He was sniffing them, perhaps delighting in the thought of his next meal.


    But then he felt something fall on the snow. His eyes twisted to the side and he saw that it was Olivia''s saddlebag. Then he saw the ogre hovering over them, but the creature made no attack. In fact, he reached out an arm and picked up the saddlebag, which he continued to sniff for a few seconds, until, to Silas'' amazement, he turned away as calmly as he had come, taking with him the saddlebag with all the food they had been so carefully rationing.


    Still in shock, he felt hands lifting him up. There he realized that he had returned to his mouse form.


    Without letting go of Silas, Olivia began to run, trying to get as far away from the ogre as possible, until she ran out of air, and fell to the ground exhausted.


    Under the shelter of some huge tree, they took a while before talking, as they waited for the trembling in their bodies to begin to cease.


    ¡°Why didn''t you run before?¡± asked Silas, still between her hands.


    ¡°You didn''t run either¡± she defended herself. ¡°Ogres don''t eat humans, but you never know how they might react. Luckily, all he wanted was food. Incredible as it seems, they were created centuries ago by the elves themselves, to act as protectors of the forest, and nowadays they just keep curious humans away. They can even be friendly, but only with other magical creatures. We will have to be more alert now, because we run the risk of encountering others.¡±


    ¡°Had you ever seen one before?¡±


    She blushed.


    ¡°No... I read about them.... I guess I took a chance. Books can be wrong sometimes... especially if they''re written by humans.¡±


    After saying this, she smiled and, for a brief moment, Silas almost gave in to the urge to smile at her in response, though she wouldn''t have been able to tell in his current form.


    ¡°So... what happened to your promise?¡± she asked him suddenly with a mocking hint.


    Silas snapped back to attention.


    ¡°What promise?¡±


    ¡°In Barthra''s hut... you told me...¡± She began to imitate his fox voice. ¡°If you get caught, I''ll escape and you''ll have to fend for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes...¡± Silas remained thoughtful. ¡°Well, but you didn''t get caught in the end so it doesn''t count.¡±


    ¡°I know this is going to upset you but... I think that, even if the ogre had caught me, you wouldn''t have abandoned me.¡±


    ¡°What a stupid thing to say. I didn''t stay to protect you, I was just...¡±


    ¡°Scared?¡±


    Silas would rather admit that first, than admit the other.


    ¡°Well, yes, my feet didn''t respond. Otherwise I would have run away.¡±


    ¡°It''s the second time it''s happened to you...¡±


    Silas knew what she meant but was reluctant to talk.


    Olivia insisted.


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    ¡°In the castle, when Leander saw you, you turned into a mouse... I thought you had done it to escape, but now I see that it happened again, and...¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I lose control of my body when I feel afraid, you know that, happy?¡±


    ¡°I also felt as scared as you. It''s nothing to be ashamed of.¡±


    ¡°You''re so weird.¡±


    Olivia kept silent as she ruminated.


    ¡°I''ve been thinking... about what I told you before... You don''t need to learn to read, or, at least read words.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Barthra once told me... The world is a book, Olivia, but not only of words. You have to use all your senses, even those you haven''t discovered yet. The Ethereal Codes are just another language that tries to grasp the immeasurable. Yes, you can play at decoding it, even manipulating it with your seals, but never fully understanding it. That is why Elementals are immune to their tricks. The elves know, this and that is why they did not object to teaching humans.¡±


    ¡°Did elves teach magic to humans?¡± Silas asked interested.


    ¡°Of course, the first humans who came to Terrarkana knew nothing about how to handle the Ethereal Codes. Some scholars say they were totally ignorant about it, while others, skeptical, believe that the reason they came here was precisely to seek the power of the legendary magical beings that were said to live here. Anyway, the elves decided to make a pact with them. Eldrin has always told me that the elves were quiet generous when it came to sharing their knowledge, but Barthra...¡±


    ¡°What did she say?¡± insisted Silas, when he realized she did not want to continue.


    ¡°Barthra told me that, actually, the elves only gave up a part of their knowledge, so that the humans would not become as powerful as them, but enough so that they could handle the elves'' dirty work.¡±


    ¡°You mean...?¡± Silas now understood.


    Olivia nodded slowly.


    ¡°The elves made a pact with the humans, and then pushed them to fight the chimeras, which started the last war.


    Silas was not shocked by that revelation. He had always known that the elves despised the chimeras since ancient times, because of the war with the giants, but to think that they were behind the attacks that the humans inflicted on the chimeras, until driving them to the brink of extinction, made his blood begin to boil.


    ¡°I will kill them!¡± shrieked Silas, suddenly blinded by rage.


    ¡°Silas!¡± Olivia''s eyes filled with fear.


    ¡°I''ll kill them! I''ll kill them! I''ll kill them! I''ll kill them! You''ll see! I''ll kill them all!¡±


    He began to run around the floor. His mouse voice, high-pitched but intense, let out all the frustration he had been holding back for who knew how long. His little paws were shaking, though not from the cold, his tail was stiff, and his body was jumping, as if he was suffering from small spasms. He felt as if his insides might explode at any moment.


    Suddenly, his bright eyes met Olivia''s horrified gaze.


    She couldn''t help but reach out and begin caressing his back.


    ¡°Silas... Silas, you''re...¡±


    Silas had a hard time accepting it, but her gesture helped him to slowly calm down.


    ¡°It''s all conjecture...¡± Olivia continued, although she didn''t sound very convinced. ¡°That''s what Barthra says... while Eldrin...¡±


    ¡°And who do you believe, Barthra or Eldrin?¡±


    His little voice sounded rough and broken, like a wounded child. Olivia could not answer so easily.


    She remained silent and, for some reason, the mouse felt sorry for her.


    ¡°I don''t know what the truth is,¡± she finally answered. ¡°Although I should tell you something important... I think it''s your right. Once you know, you will have to make a decision.¡±


    ¡°What do you...?¡±


    Silas didn''t manage to finish the question because, blended with the breeze, they heard the unmistakable sound of the snow crunching under the uninterrupted footsteps of something approaching.


    ¡°The ogre again?¡± Silas asked.


    ¡°No... it''s something else.¡±


    Olivia took Silas again in her hands and stood up. They listened carefully to determine where the sounds came from, but there was something else, a mumbling that they couldn''t distinguish.


    Suddenly, the mouse understood what it was.


    ¡°Those are voices,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°My father,¡± and, after saying this, Olivia finally started to run, but if the men approached on horseback they would soon reach them.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Silas asked, feeling suffocated between Olivia''s hands.


    ¡°I can''t use the seals but I have an idea. Trust me.¡±


    The chimera didn''t want to trust her but still didn''t complain.


    Although he did regret not doing so when he saw that, at full speed, Olivia was rushing against a huge blue-leafed tree, as if she wanted to crash into it.


    Which she did.


    And, suddenly, everything went dark.


    I''m dead, thought the mouse, but next to him something was moving forward and backward in a rhythmic pace. It was the agitated breathing of Olivia who had imprisoned him between her hands and her chest.


    The darkness was total, as if they had gone into a cave, although the mouse was sure he had seen the surface of the trunk, before the light was completely extinguished.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We are inside the tree.¡± Olivia responded.


    ¡°I didn''t see any hole.¡±


    ¡°There isn''t one. We were absorbed... or something similar.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± his tiny mouse heart was racing.


    ¡°There''s nothing to worry about. It''s an old trick that... someone... taught me.¡±


    ¡°And why only now...?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to leave it as a last resort. I''m sorry to say, after all we did, but as soon as we get out of here, we must leave the forest immediately. Otherwise, the Lady will end up finding us.¡±


    ¡°No problem for me, I already feel sick of being in this damned elven forest.¡±


    Olivia sighed in exhaustion.


    ¡°We will wait some time until my father and his men move away. Now I need to rest for a moment. I really had to concentrate to do this, and it looks like I wasted too much energy.¡±


    ¡°Have you done this before?¡±


    ¡°A couple of times, though I wasn''t running away from anything.¡±


    ¡°Is this another wizard''s trick?¡±


    But Olivia didn''t answer him. Clutched to her chest, the chimera felt her breathing normalizing and getting heavier and heavier. She had fallen asleep.


    Silas then decided to rest as well. It had been a morning full of emotions. Besides, inside the tree, it was very comfortable. They should have slept like that from the beginning, but he supposed Olivia would have her reasons for not doing so.


    And so, immersed in that coziness, Silas closed his eyes, and it didn''t take him long to fall asleep, cradled by Olivia''s soft heartbeat.

 Chapter 11 - The Lady of the Whispering Forest

    After several days of riding through the snow and dense thicket into the heart of the forest, Alaric and his soldiers finally reached the beginning of the cobblestone path, which was surrounded by a grove of white trunks and golden-veined blue leaves. Beyond the path, nothing could be seen. The snow had blended into a thick fog, behind which shone a soft light, towards which they began to move without slowing down.


    As they plunged deeper and deeper into that mystical whiteness, dazed by the soft scent emanating from the trees, to his ears came the exclamations of astonishment from his own men, many of whom were visiting the place for the first time.


    It must have felt like a dream, and possibly it was, but he couldn''t help thinking that he was stepping into the worst of his nightmares. Since Olivia had been born, he had tried to go there as little as possible, which was difficult, especially when the king insisted on sending him on official missions as his representative.


    To such an extent had his dislike reached that, on several occasions, he had sent Eldrin in his place, a decision he now deeply regretted. He should never have allowed his grudge to prevent him from doing his duty. Now his daughter had become a victim of his stubbornness.


    The horses slowed as the imposing silhouette of the stone wall began to appear in the distance, in the middle of which was the entrance to Serenity Glade, the elven city, capital of the Whispering Forest.


    Two elven guardians, carrying spears and wearing green and silver robes, guarded an arch of intertwined white branches and carved flowers that made up the huge gate with blue and violet details. Seeing the riders, they immediately opened the gate, as they recognized the Guardian of the Circle among them.


    As they crossed the gate, the voices of his men became more enthusiastic, until Cormac, also annoyed, ordered them to keep control, as that was considered disrespectful.


    The same path, along which they had come, now forked into dozens of small streets amidst giant trees of delicate colors, as beautiful as those they had seen outside. The elves'' homes, some small and simple, others huge and opulent, were distributed among the massive branches, on wooden platforms.


    Although with some differences, they all followed the same pattern: white walls, wooden ceilings carved in the shape of leaves and large windows that let in natural light and through which their placid inhabitants could be observed immersed in domestic chores or simple contemplation.


    In the elven city there was no place for noise. The elves watched the procession pass by without showing any reaction, not even confusion. It was rare to see any children, but there were some, perhaps two or three who had been born every half century apart. It was these who made him most nervous, for their childish little faces expressed the same insensitive air as the adults, and he found it hard to reconcile himself to the idea that they must probably be older than he was.


    From an early age, Alaric had heard songs that mentioned the singing laughter of elves, but he had never been able to tell if it was true or a figment of the artist''s imagination. He, who had crossed paths with them all his life, had never heard them laugh. Curving their lips upward, perhaps, but not much more.


    They continued straight down the main street of Serenity Glade. They passed the central square, surrounded by trees with gleaming leaves, that blinded his eyes, statues of fine marble, and fountains whose intricate jets of water seemed to emit a sound similar to the clinking of pearls.


    It was for these beauties that the artisans of the capital competed for special permits to visit the elven capital and try to emulate, unsuccessfully, of course, the millenary art of these nearly immortal beings.


    Their crafts were centered on the perfection of the arts, as well as meditation and astronomical observation. Between households there were also schools of all kinds where one could see practicing, in public view, the dedicated apprentices, who, with meticulous movements, created the most impressive paintings, fabrics, jewelry, vessels, weapons, most of them decorative. By human standards, they could well be considered masters.


    The soldiers could not help but stop in the middle of the road to see a round of elves, in flowing gowns despite the cold, dancing in a circle, as if floating like leaves driven by a gentle breeze to the sound of divine music of harps and flutes.


    Everything they created seemed to have been touched by the hand of a deity, and many humans considered them so. There were many supporters of a new alliance with the elves that would mean the end of the borders between the two kingdoms. One of them was Eldrin. Others, suspicious, believed that the elves wanted to recover the territory that the first humans had taken from them.


    There was another not minor problem. The elves detested the Blue Dragon, and did not acknowledge the Nymph Nemertyss, dedicating themselves to the cult of the forest and the Eternals. Therefore, they considered themselves superior, and their insertion into human society could lead to serious tensions between the different groups of believers.


    But, for the moment, there was nothing to be alarmed about, since not even the three elven lords could agree on that point.


    That is, unless...


    His thoughts were interrupted when, after a turn among the trees, they came upon an open green space, in the center of which stood the Great Blue Willow, home of the elf who ruled the forest.


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    The majestic tree, with its gigantic, twisted trunk soaring to the heavens, had nothing to envy even the most impressive castle built by humans.


    From its highest branches, which Alaric once had the privilege of visiting, one could look out over the entire forest and even catch a glimpse of the peaks of the Roaring Mountains to the west and a blue strip of the Freedom Sea to the east.


    The men in line moved forward along a narrow path amidst transparent pools covered with faintly colored flowers. They stopped on the esplanade of a wide stairway that ascended to the blue entrance door. From there, they saw two teenage-looking elves descending and walking towards them.


    Alaric gestured with his head for Cormac to follow him, while his men were left resting, being attended by as many elven servants who began to stream out of the same door they crossed.


    Despite its outward opulence, the interior of the Great Blue Willow was quite simple. They walked along a white corridor, where they could barely find a statue every few meters and small ornamental pots from which vines emerged and covered small portions of the walls.


    On other occasions he had visited the large library and the astronomy tower, both containing the most indispensable objects for their function, unlike his castle, which over the decades had been filled with all kinds of objects, from trophies, ancient armor, bombastic paintings, that his predecessors had felt the need to accumulate. Added to that, of course, was the chaos caused by his own wizards.


    The long corridor ended at a wide terrace. Right there, standing with her back to them, was Daephennya, Lady of the Whispering Forest, immersed in the contemplation of her vast garden, where long flower beds stretched up like a staircase between streams of water that fell like a gentle waterfall.


    As if she didn''t already know that they had arrived in her own city, Alaric thought mockingly.


    Her long hair, flowing down her back like a blonde cascade covered with flowers, extended almost to the ground. She was wearing a simple, wide robe of the color of the sky, adorned with white leaf details.


    As she slowly turned around to face them, Alaric, disgruntled, could not help but gasp for air.


    Her beauty was overwhelming. It had to be, otherwise how else could such heartless perversity have been concealed? Her face looked as if it had been carved by the most skilled of artisan gods: pronounced cheekbones, a fine nose, delicately pointed ears, rosy cheeks and eyes the color of violets.


    Her lips widened, without showing her teeth, revealing an air of tranquility behind which Alaric had learned to elucidate her mocking and calculating nature.


    She curtsied.


    ¡°I bid you welcome, Count of Shadowrock. I hope your journey has been pleasant, and both your eyes and your spirit have been delighted by the beauty of our forest.¡±


    Alaric reciprocated the gesture.


    ¡°I thank the Lady of the Whispering Forest for her words and return my respects.¡±


    ¡°Rarely have I had the pleasure of being surprised by a visit from His Excellency.¡±


    Damn you.


    Alaric took a deep breath before continuing.


    ¡°I apologize that this may cause you some uneasiness, but I have come with urgency to request His Grace''s permission for my soldiers to conduct a search through the streets of your city.¡±


    ¡°Motive?¡±


    Of course she knew.


    ¡°My daughter, Olivia, got lost a few days ago in the forest and I think she might have come here to seek refuge.¡±


    ¡°What a misfortune, poor child. Permission granted. We will always extend our help to the Guardian of the Circle and his descendants. May nothing torment you. The forest is always merciful to those in trouble.¡±


    Alaric raised his hand, signaling Cormac to step out and begin the search.


    ¡°Sisters,¡± she spoke to the other two elves. ¡°You may leave. I have official business with His Excellency.¡±


    The two elves bowed and obeyed.


    Seeing them walk away, Daephennya spoke again.


    ¡°Although I am sorry to tell you... you will not find her here.¡±


    ¡°If so, then I''m sure you know exactly where she is.¡±


    ¡°She''s a very clever girl, she knows how to hide.¡±


    ¡°Don''t talk as if you know her.¡±


    ¡°But I do know her, I''ve watched her since she was a child.¡±


    ¡°It''s not the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Isn''t it? I think my methods are more effective than those of humans. My eyes are everywhere.¡±


    "Except for the Circle. The laws..."


    ¡°If you are so sure that I have broken a law of the Circle, then send a complaint to your king. Although that would be losing time, and humans don''t have plenty. His Majesty will not want to gamble on a war against us. The knowledge we have far exceeds yours.¡±


    ¡°You speak as if you have everything under your thumb, but you remain confined to this forest.¡±


    ¡°I am patient, my lord, an innate attribute of elves, a product of our longevity, I admit. While humans take too long to acquire it and when they have, well...¡±


    She looked him straight in the eyes, and, for a brief second, Alaric thought he saw a hint of nostalgia, although he could not tell if it was intentional.


    She approached him and reached out her hand to stroke a lock of his hair with her fingertips.


    ¡°Your beautiful black hair is already turning gray.¡±


    Alaric was about to remind her that it had been more than sixteen years, a sigh, for her, but he just walked away.


    ¡°As you see, I don''t have as much time as you do. Tell me where she is, and I promise we''ll be on good terms.¡±


    ¡°She''s not here... but somewhere in the forest I haven''t managed to identify.¡±


    Alaric let out a bitter laugh.


    ¡°And you claim to have your eyes everywhere.¡±


    ¡°She''s a smart girl, she''ll be a great queen someday.¡±


    ¡°Never!¡±


    The elf allowed herself to let out a sigh.


    ¡°You should feel reassured that I think that way. I would never risk losing sight of her. No matter how much you wish to avoid it, it does not serve my purposes that she has escaped from the castle. The only favor I can do for you now is to tell you to stop searching so pointlessly. I will find her and bring her back to you.¡±


    ¡°And how can I believe that?¡±


    Daephennya extended her hand and, reluctantly, Alaric agreed to the request. He drew a dagger, placing the tip on her palm, and slashed the skin. Drops of blood fell to the ground. Then he did the same with his own, and they shook their bloody hands. An ace of light slipped between their fingers, and when they let go of each other the wounds had healed again without leaving marks.


    In the sight of that act, it was very hard not to believe in her.


    ¡°Will you take her to me... or to the king?¡±, he asked.


    ¡°To you, of course. We don''t want the king to find out about the animosity between the forest and the castle.¡±


    Alaric stared at her without saying anything.


    ¡°Besides,¡± she continued. ¡°I would also feel distressed if, because of me, you were to miss the Return of the Sirenians. As we both know, it is something very special for you.¡±


    Trying to control his disgust, Alaric turned his back on her, and began to walk back down the endless corridor.

 Chapter 12 - The Master Arcanist

    For weeks now, nothing interesting had been happening at the Council of Wizards. Rovenna, however, should have been relieved that the only thing that required her attention was reading a mountain of parchments, which contained extensive and varied reports submitted by each of the Divisions, as well as attending to some direct requests coming from the Conclave.


    That was the thing about living in an era of peace.


    Although, as a young and innocent Initiate, who dreamed of one day reaching the highest peak to which every wizard aspired, it had never crossed her mind that she would have to deal with boring administrative tasks, which included the constant complaints of all the Master Leaders of each Division who every week requested resources as if she held the keys to the royal treasury.


    In any case, for her advanced age, quietness was not bad at all. She should not forget all the trouble she had gone through to get there. The scornful treatment of her teachers, once they found out about her humble origins, the arduous training riddled with obstacles and traps, almost impossible missions that could have discouraged her, political intrigues, betrayals, disappointments, broken friendships and, above all, painful sacrifices.


    After all that, a time of rest was more than welcome.


    She stood up with the intention of stretching her numb body after several hours of work. With a warm woolen blanket over her purple robe, and a hot cup in her hands, she made her way to the wooden door of the wide balcony, which, to her regret, she had to keep closed due to the winter cold.


    In front of her, unfolded a panoramic view of the wide mouth of the Yorgad River, and Nemertya city''s lively harbor, where every day she saw dozens of ships coming and going, which from a distance looked like nothing more than toys. On board would go merchants, fishermen, officers of the Royal Navy, who would go out to patrol the northern islands, as well as risky adventurers, who were heading for adventure in search of unknown lands, without knowing if they would ever be able to set foot on their homeland again.


    Beneath her own feet, stretched her beloved and colorful city, now covered by what she hoped would be the last snows of that long winter. Among the red-tiled houses with pearly walls, and narrow, winding stone streets, she could watch carriages and horses, people of all classes, ages, professions, nobles, wizards, craftsmen, vendors, wandering musicians, soldiers and suspicious characters, leading who knows what kind of clandestine life.


    And Rovenna was responsible for the safety of all of them.


    She heard the door open, giving way to her assistant, Theo, who again walked in with another stack of parchments. Rovenna sighed at the sight of him, closed the balcony and rested her mug on the desk.


    ¡°Leave them over there, Theo, I''ll check them out when I''m done with these first. Maybe tomorrow...¡±


    ¡°Master...¡±


    At his harsh tone of voice, Rovenna looked up. The boy''s eyes had darkened, showing a sterner look than usual.


    ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°I can''t be sure.¡±


    Rovenna dropped a scroll she had just selected from the pile, and leaned back on the seat, leaving her hands clasped over her stomach. It would be better to sit down, if it was that serious.


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°A message has arrived from Shadowrock.¡±


    Rovenna arched her eyebrows.


    ¡°From Eldrin? Now that''s strange. Usually, we''re the ones who have to insist on him sending us reports.¡±


    He shook his head.


    ¡°No, Master. This is not an official message, but from one of our informants.¡±


    The last words echoed in Rovenna''s head.


    ¡°I see, go on.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, the castle has been affected by the outbreak of an unknown disease. That is why the Order has decided to prevent the entry and exit of anyone until the patients are out of danger.¡±


    There was nothing strange about that. The measure would help prevent the spread of the disease. The unusual thing, really, was that the Leader of the Order had not sent an urgent message to the Council. But, if it was Eldrin Caedos they were talking about, he had always done as he pleased. It was sometimes rumored that he considered himself as much the master of the castle as the Count.


    Could it be that Eldrin had also contracted the disease?


    Every time she thought of him, she was grateful that the Conclave had rejected his candidacy for the same position she currently held. Having him as her superior would have been intolerable, for her or any wizard who knew him. She would have preferred to be exiled to the mountains or sent to the farthest island of Terrarkana to deal with the pirates herself.


    But Rovenna wasn''t going to lose time with his eccentricities. So she decided that she would pretend that she hadn''t heard anything about it, and would only act in case the problem escalated.


    After all, she had not received any official communication.


    So she let Theo know but, to her surprise, the matter was not over yet.


    ¡°There is something else, Master... Our informant says that the isolation started right after the Count left the castle.¡±


    It seemed to be then that chaos reigned in Shadowrock.


    ¡°And where did the Count go in the middle of that crisis?¡±, asked her.


    ¡°To Serenity Glade.¡±


    ¡°With the elves? Well, that wouldn''t be odd... if the circumstances were normal.¡±


    ¡°I haven''t gotten to the weirdest part yet,¡± Theo cleared his throat. ¡°There was a confrontation.¡±


    ¡°Bandits?¡±


    ¡°It wasn''t humans.¡±


    ¡°Elves?¡± Rovenna''s face paled. An elven attack could only mean a coming war.


    Her young assistant couldn''t bring himself to continue.


    ¡°Theo, by the Grace of the Nymph!¡±


    ¡°It was the Elementals, Master. The Elementals attacked the Shadowrock soldiers, while they were travelling through the forest.¡±


    No, Rovenna thought, an elven attack would have been more desirable.


    Theo held out the report, and Rovenna snatched it from his hands. She continued to read it at full speed, almost to the point of dizziness, as she swung her eyes from line to line.


    The Count of Shadowrock had been attacked without provocation and, after being captured, the Elementals had held him, as well as the rest of his large entourage, for four entire days. Nothing more was known about the consequences of that unforeseen assault, but since then, the castle had been blocked.


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    So much for coincidence. Rovenna dared to believe that such a disease must not exist.


    There was something else.


    ¡°Theo... if this is true... the survival of our kingdom...¡±


    She could not imagine the extent of that disaster.


    Eldrin, curse you, you had better be found dead, because that would be your only excuse.


    They had to send someone immediately. But it would have to be an undercover mission. They couldn''t draw attention to themselves. If word got out that the Elementals had risen up in rebellion against the humans, the whole kingdom would go into chaos.


    And it wouldn''t be surprising if the elves were also involved....


    But she had to choose wisely. The Registry and Research Divisions were collapsing, to the point of demanding the recruitment of more staff, due to the growing number of wizards who were increasingly experimenting with the Codes, as well as inventing novel magical artifacts that had to undergo serious scrutiny by the Council in order to be approved. What was considered impossible decades ago was now becoming a new reality. It was even said that an official competition would soon be launched, so that inventors could exhibit their new creations.


    She could not send the Education wizards either. The testing period for the new aspiring Masters was approaching, and the Initiates would begin their annual internships. The Acolytes, on the other hand, would start their training rotation through the different towns and cities. It could have been a good excuse to send someone to be instructed in Shadowrock, but any of them would still be too inexperienced for such a responsibility.


    It was impossible to send someone from Control because that would require a special permission from the Conclave, and she had no way to justify sending a unit to an area as quiet as the Circle... Well, or so it was believed.


    She had only one option left.


    ¡°How about someone from History?¡± she asked Theo, and then added in a sardonic tone. ¡°I''m sure they don''t have anything urgent to do.¡±


    ¡°They don''t like to go outside, Master.¡±


    ¡°Please...¡± Rovenna sighed wearily, as she thoughtfully tapped the table with her fingers.


    ¡°I remind you that, last time, they replied that if you asked them again for any other task that was not directly linked to their function, they would consider it an abuse of power on your part and, consequently, they would file a formal complaint with the Guild.¡±


    ¡°Damn lazy bastards... It can''t be that we don''t have anyone...¡±


    If she could, she would go herself, but there was no way anyone in her position would leave the capital unless disaster struck. Nor could she send any wizard from the city. To gain access to the castle, it had to be an official delegation that Eldrin could not refuse to receive.


    What excuse was there for such a long journey to Shadowrock?


    Suddenly, she remembered something.


    ¡°Theo... At the last assembly... That wizard... I don''t remember what his name was...¡±


    ¡°You mean...¡±


    ¡°The one who made that ridiculous speech that made everyone start laughing at him.¡±


    ¡°He had some very bizarre ideas...¡±


    ¡°What Division is he in now?¡±


    ¡°Registry, but they don''t consider him fit for important duties, so they demoted him to a scribe.¡±


    ¡°That''s perfect! That serves our plans.¡±


    ¡°Master?¡±


    ¡°Bring him here, immediately! If his Division Leader asks you the reason, explain to him that I wish to personally handle the matter, as we cannot tolerate the presence of any mentally unstable wizard within the Council.¡±


    So did Theo Malis, who immediately set off to fulfill his task. As the diligent assistant that he was, it took him no more than twenty minutes to run back and forth through the long corridors and stairs, until he reached the first floor, found the Registry Division, and dragged the aforementioned wizard with him.


    It was the second time, after that notorious assembly, that Rovenna noticed him. There was nothing special about him. Medium height, thin, yellowish skin, brown hair, sparse and dull. A sickly appearance, in general, she would say. He couldn''t have been more than thirty years old. A pity to have fallen from grace so early in life.


    It was hard to imagine him making such a long journey, but there was no better alternative.


    The wizard entered the study trembling from head to toe, probably due to the anxiety caused by the thought of all the terrible scenarios that awaited him after that unusual hearing.


    Theo stopped between the visitor and the desk.


    "Master Arcanist, Rovenna Astra, may I introduce Miryus Sentos, Master... Scribe... of the Registry Division."


    Rovenna approached the terrified wizard, and shook his sweat-soaked hand.


    ¡°Have a seat...¡± she ordered him, as she wiped herself with a cloth that her assistant handed her on the spot. ¡°I understand that you... are a man who is passionate about chimeras.¡±


    The poor man could not help but let out an exclamation of panic. He immediately ducked his head.


    ¡°Master Arcanist!¡± he exclaimed. ¡°I beg your pardon for my rash outburst during the assembly. I just...¡±


    ¡°Raise your head, Master, you have not come here to be punished.¡±


    He, hesitating, raised his head slowly, like the animal that comes out of a cave when it sees that the predators have left.


    The relief on his face was immediate.


    ¡°Wasn''t it?¡±


    ¡°Quite the contrary. But, before I explain further, I would like you to remind me what you said at the assembly. I''m afraid I had other worries on my mind at the time.¡±


    The man began to tremble again, although with less intensity.


    ¡°Well... perhaps you are already aware... but I used to work for Education.¡±


    ¡°Until they removed you, and sent you to History, and nobody liked you there either. You didn''t do well in Registry either, it seems.¡±


    The wizard blushed.


    ¡°Yes, it turns out that during my time in that Division I devoted myself to studying the Chronicles of the last hundred years, and I came to a conclusion that, to tell you the truth, if I may be so bold, I don''t understand why nobody shares it.


    ¡°And what is this conclusion?¡±


    ¡°Well... that, contrary to what has been taken as a truth, there is no proof that chimeras have become extinct. What''s more, there is a possibility that some of them could be living among humans without being discovered.¡±


    Rovenna reacted skeptically.


    ¡°That is already too much, Master Myrius, even for a person as open-minded as I consider myself to be. No chimera could go unnoticed among wizards.¡±


    ¡°The point, Master Arcanist, is that there is a total lack of knowledge about the true power of chimeras. I remind you that millennia ago they fought alongside the giants.¡±


    ¡°But the Dragon''s curse suppressed that alleged power.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but... to what extent? Just because the chimeras are prevented from reaching their most powerful form, does not mean that they were totally disadvantaged. The elves were also affected by the curse, and yet...¡±


    ¡°Let''s leave the elves out of it.¡±


    Myrius seemed to rethink what he was going to say before continuing:


    ¡°I venture to believe that chimeras are much more cunning beings than popular belief dictates.¡±


    ¡°We''re not talking about belief, we''re talking about the Chronicles. Besides that you have no proof either.¡±


    ¡°My guide is logic. Chimeras possess a unique ability that sets them apart from the rest of the races. I cannot admit that they have disappeared altogether, much less that they were content to go into exile in the mountains.¡±


    ¡°They refused to join the Covenant.¡±


    ¡°Well, that... is really worrying... for our future.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°I''m saying we''re still at war with the chimeras, and any day now they could launch an attack against us.¡±


    By the Nymph Nemertyss herself, no wonder they had him working as a scribe. But Rovenna did not say the latter out loud.


    ¡°It would be very frightening, indeed,¡± she commented. ¡°That''s why I''ve decided to take matters into my own hands.¡±


    ¡°You have?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it will have to stay between us. If the chimeras are thinking of starting a war, we don''t want to provoke them to bring their plans forward.¡±


    ¡°Well, I think there''s a way around that!¡± replied Myrius, very sure of himself.


    ¡°Say it now, then!¡±


    ¡°We must convince the chimeras that we are not like our ancestors who hunted them mercilessly. I am willing to form a group of wizards to identify the chimeras that are living among us secretly, and establish preservation measures to later include them in our society.¡±


    Rovenna was about to burst into laughter, but she stopped herself by standing up suddenly and exclaiming:


    ¡°You''re our man!¡±


    Myrius also stood up abruptly in complete surprise.


    ¡°Ah... ah... yes?¡±


    ¡°Your speech at the assembly has made me think a lot since then. I share the same concern as you, since it is only a few hours ago that we received a most worrying report... but... I warn you... it is only rumors.¡±


    ¡°What rumors?¡±


    Before continuing, Rovenna observed Theo''s inscrutable gaze, who during the whole conversation had remained stiff, with his hands clenched, trying to remain serious.


    ¡°It seems that a group of hunters who were hanging around near the castle of Shadowrock spotted from afar a group of strange, deformed-looking creatures running down the mountains in different shapes. The poor fellows got the fright of their lives.¡±


    ¡°No... it''s not possible! Can it be true?¡±


    ¡°My informant is a trustworthy person. All information must be strictly confirmed before sending.¡±


    Myrius put a hand to his chest, as if his heart ached. Rovenna was already getting tired of that scene worthy of a play, but she hadn''t come this far in life feeling sorry for anyone.


    She decided to finish it off right then and there.


    She rested her hand on the wizard''s shoulder.


    ¡°Master Myrius Sentos. As of now, you have been officially removed from your position on the Council.... You are to inform your Leader as soon as we finish this conversation.¡±


    ¡°But...!¡±


    ¡°But, under my authority, having my assistant as our only witness, you are hereby appointed as Leader of the Chimera Protection Task Force. In the next few days you will be assigned the rest of your team, and will be instructed to proceed to Shadowrock castle. However, you will have to do so undercover, as discreetly as possible. You will not be able to reveal your true mission to the Count or even to the Leader of the Order.


    There was a long silence.


    When the man finally raised his head, Rovenna found his face drenched in tears yet crossed by a broad smile.

 Chapter 13 - The Chimera Protection Task Force

    It was already close to midnight when Fidelia arrived at The Missing Helm Tavern but, despite the numbing cold outside, the atmosphere was as lively as ever. By candlelight, people were drinking and eating the tasty food that could be anticipated through the smells wafting through the air.


    Conversation, laughter and the clinking of glasses mingled with the songs of a musical trio, which played happily in a corner, accompanied by the clapping of a group of tipsy old men, who were reluctant to let sleep overcome them. At some tables customers were gambling, at others business was being done, while a handful of sailors and strangers from the islands were exchanging anecdotes. Among them she recognized some colleagues from the merchants'' guild, as well as some wizards she knew from her old life.


    With no desire to talk to the latter, she crossed the space straight to the bar. Only one last drink, along with a piece of meat pie, and straight to bed, which was located in a room on the second floor that she used to rent from the tavern owner.


    Tomorrow she was to sail early to fulfill an assignment from a light-stone manufacturer. While calculating how long she would be out of town, the tavern owner himself handed her a glass of mulled wine mixed with spices, along with her slice of pie.


    ¡°Fidelia... someone''s been waiting for you for quite a while now,¡± he said.


    He turned his head to one side, and she followed the movement to a dark corner where a hooded person was sitting, which did not promise anything good.


    From the quality of the fabric of his sober dark garment, with which he was trying to conceal something he was not, Fidelia guessed that it was some nobleman who had come to ask her for a special favor. They thought that, because one had been expelled from the Council, she would have no other way to make a living but dishonestly.


    ¡°You''d better go and get it over with. I don''t want any trouble here,¡± the tavern owner added.


    In other words, if she didn''t treat the matter carefully, she would be left without a room to sleep in. And it wouldn''t be easy to find a room at that hour. Her name was known throughout Nemertya, and not for a good reason. There were many people who wanted nothing to do with her, some out of fear, as if she carried the infection of a contagious disease, others to maintain their reputation.


    Still, she didn''t want to please that person, so she took her time finishing her meal, and didn''t get up from her chair until she had drunk the last drop of wine.


    In all that time, the stranger did not move. He looked like a statue that wouldn''t take his eyes off her.


    Tired and irritated, Fidelia went to the table, standing in front of him.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°As direct as ever,¡± said a woman''s voice she had not heard for years.


    For a brief moment, Fidelia''s breathing stopped, preventing her from answering.


    ¡°It''s been a long time already, Master Fidelia Dabrus,¡± the woman continued, lifting her hood to reveal a thin face, with soft but aged features, framed by gray hair, held in a neat bun.


    ¡°Old age is affecting your memory, Rovenna. I am no wizard, much less a Master.¡±


    ¡°You are still a wizard. Your power is only sealed.¡±


    ¡°Sealed forever.¡±


    ¡°That... can be reversed.¡±


    ¡°Ah... the first signs of dementia are appearing as well.¡±


    ¡°Sit down and listen to me,¡± Rovenna commanded in a calm but authoritative voice.


    ¡°Or what? Everything worse that could have been done to me has already happened.¡±


    ¡°Let''s not dramatize,¡± Rovenna patted the table gently. ¡°You can throw me out once you finish listening to me.¡±


    Fidelia didn''t want to get into her games, but the tavern owner was watching them very closely, and she couldn''t be thrown out of one of the few places that still welcomed her, nothing more than for provoking a confrontation she knew she couldn''t win.


    She sat down in front of Rovenna, who let out a sigh of satisfaction.


    ¡°It wasn''t easy to find you,¡± continued the Master Arcanist. ¡°My assistant has spent a few days scouring the entire city. We were afraid you had sailed to the islands.¡±


    ¡°I''m leaving tomorrow, so finish quickly.¡±


    ¡°They say you''ve gone into the invention business now.¡±


    ¡°I''m just helping a friend. I procure the materials she needs for her experiments.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, Korinna Franko. I''ve heard of her... her flying brooms... and that ridiculous carriage.¡±


    ¡°Are you here to talk about my business?¡±


    ¡°No... I need your help... for a mission.¡±


    Fidelia couldn''t help but laugh.


    ¡°Well, yeah, you''re insane.¡±


    ¡°You''re the only one I dare to trust.¡±


    Fidelia''s laughter died down as soon as she heard those words, and she couldn''t help but punch the table which caught the attention of some people, including the tavern owner.


    ¡°Fidelia... Is everything all right?¡± he asked.


    ¡°A damn cockroach!¡± exclaimed Fidelia, without turning to look at him.


    ¡°There are no cockroaches in my establishment!¡±


    ¡°Well, there''s one in front of me! I''ll take care of it, don''t worry.¡±


    ¡°Why don''t we get some air?¡± Rovenna suggested, getting up from her chair.


    They both walked out the front door, finding themselves facing the serene banks of the Yorgad River, whose dark surface reflected the silvery glow of the moon and the abundant lights on the other side, where the wealthiest part of the city was located. From there, they could see the highest towers of the Royal Palace, as well as the dome of the Great Temple belonging to the Council of the Wizards.


    They began to walk along a deserted path that bordered the river, enveloped in the whisper of the stream and the leaves of nearby trees that were shaken by the night breeze. The cold had forced everyone to take shelter, and they did not come across anyone.


    After a while of silence, Rovenna started talking:


    ¡°I''m glad your temper...¡± said she, when suddenly she saw a fist coming at her that almost hit her face, if she hadn''t reacted in time, and with a movement of her hand blocked the unforeseen attack, which made Fidelia shriek in pain when her knuckles hit the shield.


    Rovenna waited for the other to stop cursing.


    ¡°I spoke too soon.¡±


    Still holding her hand in pain, Fidelia gritted her teeth in reply.


    ¡°The last time we met I was on the ground, my chest open, bleeding, and you were there, standing, doing nothing, saying nothing!¡±


    ¡°You betrayed the Council, and you betrayed me... under my nose... You were not just any wizard. You were specially chosen by me. How do you think that made me look?¡±


    Fidelia spat on the ground.


    ¡°You came out of this well, Master Arcanist. My little misstep didn''t cause you the loss of your precious position.¡±


    ¡°Just barely. But I have not come to scold you, but to offer you a chance to redeem yourself.¡±


    ¡°It''s too late, even if I did...¡±


    ¡°Don''t you want your power back?¡±


    Fidelia let out another laugh, that sounded more like a scream.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°No one can remove a cross seal! I''ve tried, did you think I just sat on my hands all this time? I visited countless potion makers that nearly left me in the flesh. I caused myself wounds of all kinds. I didn''t go any further because I didn''t want to die either. Not even a Master can undo it. That is the point. An exemplary punishment. A mark that remains forever, and reveals the dishonor.¡±


    ¡°There is someone who can do it.¡±


    ¡°Who can do it?¡±


    ¡°An Architect.¡±


    Fidelia almost scoffed again, but remembered something she had heard not long ago.


    ¡°Ah... So are the rumors true? Has the Archmage of the Island reached the level of Architect? Or is it simply nothing more than another hoax of yours?¡±


    ¡°I have never lied to you. In fact, I have taught you everything I know. I prepared you to be my successor, until you threw it all away.¡±


    Fidelia felt a bitter aftertaste in her mouth.


    "Yeah, yeah, I never live up to anyone''s expectations... You remind me of..."


    "Eldrin? Well, coincidentally, the mission involves traveling to your old home."


    "What for?"


    "At least listen to me. You don''t want to be left curious."


    Fidelia reluctantly agreed, and, as they walked to the end of an empty dock, Rovenna whispered her plan to investigate the strange happenings in Shadowrock.


    To the powerless wizard, it all sounded like nonsense. During her time on the Council, she had carried out all sorts of plans, hatched by her former Division Leader, but she had never gone to such lengths.


    Now the Master Arcanist was going to risk everything to send a dismissed wizard, who he thought had not been dismissed, but, on the contrary, promoted, although no one else on the Council could know that. That wizard would have to pretend in front of Eldrin that he was going on an official visit, although in reality the Leader of the mission, who was not really the Leader, thought that he was going to dedicate himself to protecting chimeras, when, in reality, there were not even suspicions of any chimera, but that Fidelia herself, a wizard without powers, although knowledgeable about the Circle, would be in charge of investigating on her own what had happened with a group of deranged Elementals.


    ¡°Why didn''t you just tell him the truth?¡±


    ¡°Because otherwise he wouldn''t be able to perform his role naturally.¡±


    ¡°Won''t Eldrin find it strange that I am part of a Task Force?¡±


    ¡°Myrius will explain that he has hired you as a guardian. The real Leader of the mission will be you. And no one but you, and my informant, will know the real reason for your expedition. He will meet you before you reach the castle.¡±


    Fidelia meditated in silence watching the ripples of the water.


    She did not want to return to Shadowrock. On the day of her departure, she had sworn in front of the entire castle that she would never set foot there again. Then she joined the Council, thinking she had accomplished what Eldrin had told her she would never do. For a while, it looked like her life was starting to get better, until she made a mistake, and the most precious thing she had, and the only thing she felt she was fit for, was taken from her.


    ¡°Depending on how the mission goes,¡± Rovenna added. ¡°I will ask the Archmage of the Island to remove your seal. If I break my word, you will have enough evidence to accuse me before the Conclave, and my fate will be the same, or even worse, than yours. Is that okay with you?¡±


    Perhaps she was stepping into the lion''s den, although there was a part of her that wanted her powers back. For years she had convinced herself that she could go on living, as if it were nothing, but that night she realized that she was fooling herself, and deep down inside she was longing for the person she had once been.


    But she wasn''t going to make things so easy for Rovenna. The Archmage thing could always go wrong, and even if she exacted her revenge, she could be left with nothing in the end.


    ¡°I have another condition,¡± she said.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Korinna will go with us... as a driver.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Fidelia ignored the refusal.


    ¡°For that, we''ll need a permit approved by Registry, as a matter of urgency.¡±


    ¡°I can''t do that.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Rovenna, you''ve already broken a lot of rules with all this stuff you just told me. What does it cost you to pull your influence to get a simple parchment delivered to us? Besides, if you want us to accomplish the mission as quickly as possible, the carriage is the best option.¡±


    Rovenna sighed in surrender.


    ¡°Fine, but try not to kill anyone. You''ll draw enough attention to yourselves. And brooms will not be included in the permit.¡±


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    ¡°I don''t understand what everyone sees in them. They look so uncomfortable. Just looking at them is starting to make my butt hurt.¡±


    They continued walking, until they found a barge manned by a man who helped them cross the wide river. Once on land, they went to Rovenna''s house, where they continued talking until dawn to finalize the details of the plan.


    A couple of days later, as agreed, Myrius Sentos showed up at the workshop of Korinna Franko, inventor wizard, where Fidelia was also waiting for him.


    The workshop had once been a warehouse for shipbuilding materials that Korinna had once received as payment for her services as a shield-making wizard. Now she had left the magical professions behind to devote herself to the invention of new artifacts, so the place was filled with sketches drawn on parchment, shoe leather, wooden boards and wheels, bundles of straws for the brooms Korinna dreamed of one day starting to make work, and metal plates on which the seals were engraved to make her inventions work.


    ¡°Welcome, Master Myrius, my name is Fidelia Dabrus, and this is my partner Korinna Franko.¡±


    ¡°A pleasure!¡± exclaimed the cheerful voice of Korinna, a young woman with smooth skin and honey-colored hair, dressed in colorful clothes. She contrasted in almost every way with her austere friend, who preferred dark colors. The only thing they had in common was that they both wore tunics and work boots.


    ¡°Pleased to meet you...¡± Myrius bowed his head slightly, and then began to observe the place around, before asking in a frightened tone. ¡°And the others?¡±


    Listening to him, Fidelia could not believe that this was the man Rovenna had deemed fit for such responsibility.


    ¡°The others?¡± she asked in a surprised voice, although she did know what he meant.


    ¡°The rest of the team,¡± answered Myrius.


    ¡°Ah,¡± Korinna replied with a wink. ¡°Budget problems, Master Leader. It will just be the three of us.¡±


    Fidelia was not allowed to explain all the details of the mission to her friend, and she also thought that the less she knew the better it would be. Korinna was only aware that they were to transport a Council wizard to Shadowrock, and that this was nothing more than an excursion.


    In fact, Fidelia herself was convinced of the latter, for, although she had not told Rovenna, to her, the Elemental story seemed like a hoax, perhaps an invention of Eldrin''s for who knows what elaborate scheme born of the rivalry between him and the Master Arcanist.


    ¡°Ah, I understand...¡± said Myrius, after Korinna''s explanation. ¡°It would be too much to take advantage of the Master Arcanist''s already overwhelming generosity.¡±


    Poor man. Fidelia felt sorry just looking at him.


    ¡°There is something else you should know, Master Leader,¡± she said in a more serious tone. ¡°I will be honest with you. I cannot do magic.¡±


    Having said that, she pulled down the collar of her tunic to reveal the symbol that so many years ago the Conclave had cauterized in the middle of his chest with a knife passed through fire: a red scar in the shape of a circle within which a countless number of lines bent in various directions like the inside of a labyrinth, forming a cross in its center.


    It looked as if the man''s head was about to catch fire, although the pain emanating from that atrocity was reflected in his eyes.


    ¡°I... I... I see... Master...¡±


    ¡°I am not a Master... just call me Fidelia.¡±


    ¡°Miss Fidelia would be appropiate.¡±


    ¡°Rovenna told me not to tell you anything, but you must know, as your safety depends on me. I will be your guardian, but, in case I need magic, I am useless. That''s why Korinna will go with us as a driver, and then someone else will join.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, everything was explained to me by the Master Arcanist.¡±


    ¡°But... Don''t worry,¡± Korinna added to ease the tension. ¡°It will be a quick trip, because... we have this!¡±


    With a dramatic gesture, she uncovered a large artifact that had caught the wizard''s attention when he couldn''t identify what it was.


    Myrius stared in confusion at what she had so eagerly discovered.


    ¡°A carriage...¡±


    ¡°Aha... And what else?¡± Korinna encouraged him.


    ¡°A carriage... without horses?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! You''re brilliant!¡±


    ¡°I''m afraid I''m missing the point.¡±


    Korinna then went on to explain. That was her latest and most cherished project: the magicar. Although the name was still under discussion. It was, in appearance, an ordinary carriage, but on the back, it had a seal engraved in metal and fastened with screws. Through the pattern code that made up the seal, it manifested the force necessary for the carriage to move forward without the use of horses.


    ¡°It moves by itself? How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°Well... it''s not that it moves... rather it is driven by the force manifested by the seal. The problem is that we Masters cannot modify the forces that exist in the environment. We can identify them, and chart a path for them to follow, but we cannot increase or decrease their intensity. That is why the seal must be as accurate as possible. It is very easy to make a shield, because the greater the force, the more resistant it will be... The problem here is... finding the right speed... which has not been easy. I''ve had to spend on a lot of metal creating an endless amount of seals. You can''t imagine how many of these magicars crashed into a wall and shattered.¡± Korinna''s voice, which had become serious, returned to its usual cheerful tone. ¡°But have no fear! We''ll be safe, we''ve tried this one several times, and survived!¡±


    ¡°Although this is the first time we take it out of the city,¡± clarified Fidelia. ¡°Luckily, it seems that the snow is starting to melt.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡±


    ¡°Too bad it can''t go faster. Imagine what it would be like to be able to get to a place in a matter of hours instead of days. Oh... if I were an Architect, the wonders I could do... But well... if the journey from Nemertya to Shadowrock takes ten days on horseback... we should get there in half that time using this beauty.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, Master,¡± added Fidelia. ¡°You are the Leader of the mission and the one who must choose the best way for us to travel.¡±


    ¡°If you don''t like the magicar...¡± Korinna ran to a corner of the crowded warehouse. ¡°We also have flying brooms!¡±


    The broom had a small seal embedded in the stick. Korinna sat on it, and activated the seal. It soared over the ground before Myrius'' astonished eyes, but the inventor''s joy was short-lived, as the broom spun out of control, flipping upside down and falling to the ground. It was Myrius who saved her from the blow by summoning a restraining shield that kept her briefly in the air, just a few centimeters above the ground, which prevented her head from breaking.


    ¡°It''s still in process...¡± she apologized embarrassed. ¡°Another thing that might come in handy are these hydro-walking boots,¡± she held up a pair of boots that looked like ordinary boots. ¡°I''ve tried them out on the river and they''ve held my weight quite well for several minutes. So far I haven''t drowned!¡±


    ¡°Korinna... don''t get too carried away, they''ll only give us permission to use the carriage...¡± Fidelia reminded her, rubbing her forehead.


    Myrius'' gaze oscillated between the two women.


    ¡°Well... I don''t think it''s bad... the magicar, I mean. The brooms and the boots... well... it seems too much to me,¡± he finally said.


    After that first meeting, they had to wait two more days for the permit to be approved. In the meantime, the two subordinates had long conversations with Myrius, who instructed them in everything he knew about chimeras, and what would be the best strategies to find one near the mountains.


    And so, after all these preparations, one bright sunny morning, the magicar that transported the Chimera Protection Task Force left the city to set out on its journey to Shadowrock Castle.

 Chapter 14 - The Witch

    ¡°Silas... wake up...¡±


    The chimera could not remember the last time he had slept so many hours, and so deeply, untroubled by the fear of what might happen the next day when he finally opened his eyes.


    He did not even have nightmares, or anything like it, as so many other times he had dreamed that he was plunging irremediably into the void with nothing to hold on to, and no one to hold out his hand, only to wake up with a wild pulse, just before touching the rocky ground of the mountain.


    But this time, it was quite the opposite. Now he was floating with his arms spread out like a bird''s wings, passing over a sea of emerald leaves gently stirred by a warm breeze beneath a generous sun.


    ¡°Silas...¡± he heard Olivia''s voice again coming from somewhere.


    ¡°Olivia... I don''t see you... where are you?¡±


    ¡°Here beside you.¡±


    His eyes felt heavy, and everything went dark again.


    When he woke up, they were still inside the tree, although he didn''t lose his calm, as he felt Olivia''s presence nearby and that, for some reason, comforted him.


    ¡°Silas...¡±


    ¡°Yes, I''m awake,¡± he whispered still sleepy, feeling Olivia''s hands around him.


    ¡°Ah... I think we''ve overslept.¡±


    Silas yawned in response.


    ¡°We should go out now,¡± she continued. ¡°Since I woke up I''ve been trying to listen for men or horses nearby, but they seem to be gone.¡±


    ¡°All right... How long have we been in here?¡±


    ¡°A few hours probably...¡± Olivia started to move. ¡°Don''t let go of me, while I make the jump.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    He sensed Olivia''s body rocking back and forth, as if she was gaining traction. Suddenly, she jumped, and the darkness was extinguished by a white light that forced him to close his eyes tightly. The warmth inside the tree abandoned him, and gave way to the fresh morning breeze.


    He felt his mousy fingers break free from Olivia''s clothing, and he flew off. While falling, he managed to open his eyes, and watched the trees spin around him.


    Olivia had failed to land on her legs, which caused them both to roll off. Silas spun a couple of times in the air, before landing on all four legs. She, meanwhile, lay on her back breathing heavily, but still appeared to be uninjured.


    Silas took a deep breath of the forest air, relieved, although he immediately noticed that there was something odd about the surroundings. Something had changed. He looked around wondering what the inexplicable strangeness was.


    Suddenly, he understood.


    The snow was gone. Not even puddles remained, nor any sign of winter. The forest floor was now covered with a green blanket of freshly grown grass, while the leaves on the trees shone more brightly. He could now hear the cheerful chirping of birds, smell the trail of animals that had awakened from hibernation, while in the distance he saw a scattered clump of flower fairies passing by and fading away in the thicket.


    It must have been the magic of the elves, he supposed, but he was immediately alerted by a whimper from Olivia, who had also noticed the change.


    ¡°Oh, no...¡± she said.


    ¡°It''s a bit early for spring,¡± he remarked.


    He saw her bite her lips before replying.


    ¡°No. It''s just that we''re actually the ones who woke up late.¡±


    Silas needed a moment to grasp what she was saying.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked, in disbelief.


    ¡°That it hasn''t been hours... but days... or maybe weeks.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the mouse, surprised, jumped up, and stood on its hind legs.


    Olivia, as if she had a headache, massaged her temples with both hands.


    ¡°Someone told me that, if I wasn''t careful, it could happen, and... it really did.¡±


    It would never have occurred to Silas that such a thing could be possible.


    ¡°We''ve been sleeping for days!?¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°Yes... it seems so...¡±


    ¡°But how!?¡±


    She lowered her arms, and let out a sigh.


    ¡°I''m so sorry... It''s never happened to me before. It was the only thing I could think of so they wouldn''t find us.¡±


    ¡°And-and now?¡±


    ¡°Now, well, we go on. We''ll be a little later than we thought.¡±


    ¡°Just a little?!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Silas, it''s no use. What''s done is done. Now we have to find something to eat to regain our strength and...¡±


    She stopped suddenly, and turned in on herself. Silas also stopped his little ears, as he sensed a strange presence. The breeze began to blow with more intensity, and caused the leaves to rustle, producing a deafening noise.


    ¡°Olivia...¡± said a soft woman''s voice that seemed to come from the breeze itself, which sent a shiver down his spine.


    ¡°No, leave me alone!¡± Olivia shouted.


    ¡°Olivia...¡± the voice repeated.


    ¡°Silas, run!¡±


    But Silas couldn''t run because unfamiliar hands grabbed him from behind, and lifted him off the ground. His limbs were left hanging in the air unable to respond. He tried to transform into a fox, but it was as if those same hands were blocking his power.


    Could she be a wizard?


    ¡°Olivia...¡± Silas now felt the voice grow louder and clearer, and realized that the one speaking was the same person who had caught him.


    ¡°Let him go!¡± Olivia exclaimed angrily in front of him with her fists clenched.


    ¡°Olivia, dear, why are you scared, can''t you see it''s me?¡± asked the woman.


    Silas watched as Olivia''s chest slowly swelled with air, as if she was struggling to breathe.


    ¡°I told you to let him go.¡±


    The woman took a deep breath before letting out a slight reprimand.


    ¡°Is that the way to welcome me?¡±


    Olivia''s gaze swung back and forth between Silas and the woman. Finally, she lowered her eyes, as if embarrassed, though for some reason Silas thought she was shying away from his gaze and not the woman''s.


    She took a few seconds before responding.


    ¡°Excuse me, mother. I was surprised. It''s nice to see you again.¡±


    Silas gasped.


    Mother? That woman was the Countess? Wasn''t she dead? And besides, what was she doing in the forest? At no time had Olivia mentioned anything about her. She had only spoken of her father, and Silas had already drawn his own conclusions.


    The woman''s voice resumed the soft tone of the beginning.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°No, my dear. Forgive me for taking so long to wake you up. You were sleeping so sweetly that I couldn''t help but watch you for a while. After all, throughout your life I had few opportunities to rock you to sleep, and tuck you in, as only a mother could.¡±


    Olivia said nothing more. Nor did the woman make any attempt to move toward her.


    Mothers are supposed to hug their children, Silas thought strangely. Like his own mother, who came out to greet him every time he returned from his training with the elders, or like when she wrapped him in her arms, while they played catch in the valleys. At night too, especially in winter, to keep him warm.


    Maybe female humans were different.


    ¡°After so many days of sleep, you must be hungry,¡± Olivia''s mother continued. ¡°I have brought something with me to help you regain your strength. Come closer, and let''s talk about this new adventure of yours.¡±


    Having said that, Silas heard footsteps in the grass, as if other people were approaching.


    ¡°I will if you let him go,¡± Olivia replied.


    ¡°I''m afraid he''ll get lost, he''s so small, and the forest is so big.¡±


    ¡°Silas...¡± Olivia looked him straight in the eyes. ¡°Do you promise not to run away?¡±


    From her intense gaze, Silas understood that, even if he wanted to, he couldn''t do it.


    ¡°I promise,¡± he answered.


    His captor let out a soft chuckle that seemed completely forced to him.


    ¡°Well... if it''s a promise...¡±


    Her fingers loosened around him. Without wasting any time, he jumped up, and ran to Olivia, who took him in her hands again, pressing him to her chest. As if he was a precious thing, he could not stop noticing.


    ¡°Interesting pet you got yourself,¡± the woman commented.


    Silas turned his head to look at her, as he had not been able to see her face until now.


    Out of surprise, he couldn''t help but twitch between Olivia''s fingers.


    In front of them stood a woman younger than he had imagined. She didn''t appear to be much older than Olivia, which confused him. He looked at her hair the color of the sun''s glare reflected on the snow, her wrinkle-free skin, her pointed nose and ears, and, finally, her strange violet-colored eyes.


    An elf, there was no doubt about it!


    But then... how could it be that Olivia...?


    ¡°He is not my pet," Olivia answered the elf dryly.


    ¡°My apologies,¡± the elf arched her eyebrows slightly. ¡°His behavior has misled me. I thought chimeras were more feisty. It must be because he is nothing more than a cub.¡±


    Silas'' fear was replaced by an indignation that grew with every word that emanated from that delicate but incisive mouth.


    She advanced towards them, dragging her long green dress over the grass, producing a soft rustling sound as she passed. Behind her came a procession of ten other elves, dressed in light-colored and silver robes, who set about the task of spreading on the ground a delicate white tablecloth with embroidered leaf details. On it they began to serve plates with fruits of all colors and shapes, tubers, nuts, cakes, and bottles of drink.


    Once their task was finished, they walked away as quietly as they had come.


    Silas'' stomach began to growl, as soon as he saw that abundant feast, but he would never eat anything that had passed through the hands of any of those strange creatures.


    The elf sat down on one end of the tablecloth, and patted the cloth to tell Olivia to sit down. The girl did so, freeing Silas who curled up on one side, partly for protection, partly so that her body would block his view of the food.


    The elf looked very pleased.


    ¡°We must take advantage of the occasion. This is the first time we are alone without your father,¡± she said. ¡°You know, he came to see me several days ago to inquire about your whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°And what did you tell him?¡± Olivia''s voice sounded anxious.


    ¡°Well, that I didn''t know, and it was true. I didn''t know where you were at the time, because I hadn''t even bothered to look for you yet,¡± she giggled again, and then returned her eyes to the chimera. ¡°Your friend seems nervous.¡±


    Silas'' body tensed up even more, and he looked her straight in the eyes to show her that he wasn''t afraid.


    ¡°Don''t worry, little one,¡± said the elf. ¡°What happened before was a joke. The dragon''s curse prevents me from hurting you any more than you can hurt me, unless, of course, you want to suffer the consequences. I can assure you that neither I, nor any of my race, have anything against chimeras. Our true enemies were the giants, while you... were nothing more than mere slaves. Besides... you are my daughter''s friend and, therefore, my guest. My name is Daephennya and I am the Lady who rules this forest.¡±


    To top it off, it was not even just any other elf, but the very one they had been trying to evade since they had entered the forest.


    Discouraged by this new revelation, Silas looked at the girl as if asking a silent question.


    ¡°I am half elf,¡± she admitted with a sad look on her face.


    Until that moment, Silas did not know why, but he had kept a small, and illogical, hope burning that there could be another explanation for the relationship between the two women. With those words, his fear had been confirmed.


    Half elf, half human. The blood of the two most treacherous races that had ever walked these lands coexisted inside Olivia''s body. All that time talking about conspiracies, as if it were nothing, and she had deliberately decided to omit that important detail.


    It was his chance. If the elf could not harm him, then, he had no reason to stay there. Olivia had betrayed him, he owed her nothing.


    However, he did not move, and concluded that, since he was presented with this unusual opportunity, it would be best to listen to the whole conversation to acquire more information that could be useful for his eventual revenge.


    No, he assured himself, that had nothing to do with Olivia.


    ¡°That''s right,¡± Daephennya continued. ¡°More than seventeen years ago I fell in love with her father and, despite my initial resistance, I could not help but pursue him...¡±


    ¡°My father says that you tricked him,¡± replied Olivia.


    ¡°He only speaks from pain, since we can''t live together. Something very human, that''s why I forgive him that unjust grudge he feels towards me,¡± she looked at Silas again. ¡°You see, little one, I cannot leave this forest. If I did, I would lose my immortality. Because of that her father became very protective, and prevented me from being a part of her life. But now that my daughter has grown up, it''s time to make up for my absence.¡±


    Hearing no comment from Olivia, the elf continued speaking.


    ¡°I would have kept you, but I was afraid that the forest was not the right place for you. You were always precious to me. You are special, the first of your kind.¡±


    ¡°I don''t want to be special...¡± Olivia spoke in whispers, as if trying hard not to raise her voice. ¡°I never asked to be. I want to be like everyone else.¡±


    ¡°I''m not an Alchemist, I cannot change your nature... But I can do this.¡±


    As soon as she said that, Daephennya raised her hand in Olivia''s direction.


    From his place on the floor, Silas noticed how the girl''s disheveled locks grew and shortened by a few inches, until they lined up perfectly at the same height, giving her a more presentable appearance.


    She took both hands to feel her hair to make sure what her mother had done to it.


    ¡°If you want, I can grow it back,¡± the elf offered.


    Olivia shook her head.


    ¡°No, I like it the way it is.¡±


    The elf raised her hands in surrender, though exhibiting an amused look.


    ¡°As you wish...¡± she sighed. ¡°It''s hard for me to understand, but I accept your decision. Your hair is so beautiful, the same color as your father''s... I feel sorry for you. It wouldn''t cost me anything...¡±


    ¡°Does this mean that you are... an architect?¡± Olivia interrupted her, perhaps wanting to change the topic of conversation, although she sounded a bit curious.


    The elf''s lips quirked into a pleased smile.


    ¡°Ah... you''ve noticed. Yes, I am an Architect, but nothing compared to the power of my grandfather, Willondal, the Elven King. He was a true Architect, who with his own hands could create new creatures never seen before... until the Blue Dragon took his life...


    ¡°I know... I am sorry.¡±


    Daephennya raised a hand to dismiss the matter.


    ¡°It has been a long time, even for me. The past can no longer return. It is enough for me to be the protector of this forest, that is what my powers are for. I live in the present, and my present is you. Though it thrills me to think of what is to come. It remains to be seen what you have inherited from me. Your outward appearance, for now, is the living reflection of Alaric.


    Silas couldn''t help but notice a certain bitterness in that last statement, and wondered if Olivia sensed the same thing he did.


    ¡°I don''t know if I want to live forever,¡± said the girl.


    ¡°We won''t know that for a long time...¡± Daephennya''s gaze darkened. ¡°It saddens me that the very idea repels you... To me, you are a miracle. Ever since the first humans arrived in these lands, I have devoted a big part of my existence to going against my two brothers, who were always opposed to the union of our races. But it was not until I met your father that I understood what I had to do. He will never forgive me, but my intentions were noble. You are destined to unite two races that otherwise could never have been united. I have made my decisions as a woman, as a mother, but also as a ruler. I have my duties, and you, when you become queen, will finally understand that.


    Ah, thought Silas, there''s the catch. The damn elf is using Olivia as a pawn. She can''t get out of the forest, but she can spread her influence through her daughter.


    Olivia, wake up.


    He wanted to say that, but Silas didn''t trust the woman''s words. It would be better to share his thoughts later.


    ¡°My father doesn''t want me to be queen,¡± Olivia told her.


    "Your father loves you too much, and can''t see beyond his own selfishness. But, for me, the worst thing is not his disinterest in the future of our land, but that he is preventing you from reaching your true potential."


    ¡°I think you expect too much from me. So far I have not demonstrated any great talent for magic.¡±


    Daephennya stood up, and moved towards her. Silas instinctively stepped back.


    The elf then spun on herself tightly, causing the edges of her dress to lift, like a bell, while her flower-adorned hair floated in the air, and gave off a soft perfume. From her chest emanated several golden lines, similar to those that the two wizards in the tower had made emanate from his own body. Like that time, the lines swirled around them until they formed a spiral of golden branches, covered with leaves, flowers and strange symbols.


    ¡°This is my Code,¡± said the elf, and pointed to a spot on the spiral ¡°See that over there?¡±


    Silas remembered that symbol well. That was the second time he had seen it, although all his life had heard of it. The seal of the Dragon. A dark patch of knots and intertwined thorns that ruined the perfect beauty of the golden spiral.


    ¡°Elves, giants, chimeras, hybrids, even the gentle sirenians, we have carried this curse for centuries.¡±


    Daephennya shook her arm, and the spiral dissolved.


    ¡°But you, Olivia...¡±


    With another sudden movement of her arm, the elf made new golden lines begin to emerge from Olivia''s chest. Like the previous spiral, they began to intertwine, but this time creating a different pattern than Silas had expected.


    What manifested in front of them resembled the drawings that he and his brothers had once drawn in the mountain caves, when they had the unprecedented idea of painting the sky dotted with stars.


    Only this time it was a single five-pointed star drawn in a single stroke within a perfect circle.Silas studied the shape carefully, but nowhere could he find any sign of the Dragon''s seal. He looked in the direction of Olivia, whose eyes mingled the golden glow of the star with her own uncertainty.


    ¡°You are unique, Olivia,¡± said the elf. ¡°Never say otherwise. Some ignorant people will consider you a monster, but when that happens, remember my words. Even though you are half human, you are a direct descendant of the Elf King. I have created you, as before my grandfather was able to create the hybrids. But you are different. Something much more beautiful. You are a witch. The first witch in the history of Terrarkana.¡±

 Chapter 15 - The Heiress

    The first witch.


    Olivia didn''t want to be the first of anything. She wanted to be free, she wanted to go wherever she wanted, like the wind. She didn''t want to live forever either, it seemed such a gloomy existence, to see her loved ones fade away leaving her behind.


    She felt sorry for that mother she barely knew and had no chance to be with. Locked in her forest, with her limited power and, even if she didn''t want to accept it, a slave to past glories.


    She didn''t want to be a witch because that meant being alone.


    She wanted to be a wizard, like Eldrin, like the annoying Leander, like the rest of the wizards of the Order, like those young people who visited her castle every year, and with whom she wished to be friends, if it weren''t for the fact that her own father was afraid that they would end up discovering her elven blood, which, for some blessed reason, had not yet manifested.


    Olivia, in fact, had hoped that it would never manifest, that her impure human blood would infect the elven one to the point of rendering it ineffective. Then she would be of no further use to anyone, and they would leave her alone.


    Silas was watching her from the ground. What was he thinking? How would he feel now that he knew the truth?


    She should have told him from the beginning, but, while traveling with him, it had felt so good to be able to be someone else... Besides, as long as her powers remained dormant, on the outside she was still an ordinary human.


    But there it was, floating in front of her very nose, the golden pentacle coming to shatter any illusions she had kept so far.


    Daephennya finally lowered her arms, and the symbol dissolved into thin air.


    ¡°But... even if I don''t like the idea,¡± the elf continued, backing away. ¡°You''ll have to go back to your father.¡±


    ¡°I thought you didn''t want that,¡± Olivia complained.


    ¡°I promised him,¡± she then showed her palm, and Olivia took the hint. ¡°Elf''s promise. It will hurt me a lot if I don''t keep it.¡±


    ¡°I didn''t make you promise anything.¡±


    ¡°What a cold heart you have. Will you let your mother suffer for an unfulfilled promise? Will you let my body burn in the fire?¡±


    Olivia had heard that the pacts made by the elves were sacred, and that breaking them resulted in unbearable bodily torture that no human could survive. The elves, on the other hand, were quite resilient but, still, it was torture after all, and Olivia felt as if she herself would be the one to inflict it.¡±


    Her mother couldn''t force her, she thought, not like this. Why did she do that, why did she risk so much? Maybe her father was right, she was cunning, but then again, she hadn''t ratted her out either. Daephennya could have found her daughter very easily, she could have led her father straight to her.


    ¡°Human nobles, as well as elves, carry many responsibilities,¡± Daephennya continued. ¡°We do not choose. Did the King choose to be born in a cradle of gold to hand over his existence to thousands of people he will never meet? Did the servants in your castle choose to take care of your filth? What makes you different from others that you think you can choose?¡±


    Olivia didn''t know what to answer. No one, she was no one, she didn''t know who she was, she had never known herself, she had never been allowed to know herself.


    ¡°Think of your responsibility, all the people who depend on you, the inhabitants of the Circle, your future subjects. What will happen once the heiress leaves them? The gentle Lake Tribe, the balance between the elven families, the residents of the castle, the wizards of the Order, the villagers. Even the chimeras hiding behind the mountains, as your friend used to do.¡±


    ¡°If I become queen, I won''t be able to rule Shadowrock.¡±


    ¡°But you will have children, many children, and one of them will be able to rule for you before your father passes away. He''s still a young man. Don''t you like the idea? A family that is nothing but yours?¡±


    Olivia knew nothing about children, she had only seen the servants'' kids, and they were afraid of her because she was the Count''s daughter.


    ¡°If only I could...¡± sighed Daephennya. ¡°I would have given you a sister... Who knows? I still have time,¡± she giggled again, which was out of tune with the natural serenity of her face, and that made Olivia''s hair stand on end.


    ¡°Poor Alaric,¡± the elf continued. ¡°He had to make so many sacrifices... especially for you, and now you''re going to give it all up because you want to go, and have fun on that depressing island of hybrids that from afar seems so wonderful to you. But, my dear, you have your Master Eldrin, who came so close to becoming a Master Arcanist, and you have me, your own mother, an Architect. If you want to get more power, you don''t have to look that far. Feeling lonely? Well, when you go to the capital you''ll meet lots of girls your age with similar interests who will be eager to accompany the new princess. Are you going to turn your back on all that just to indulge your curiosity, and visit a reclusive Archmage who might as well slam the door in your face?


    Her mother''s words were like a waterfall, a non-stop torrent, and Olivia was drowning in them.


    ¡°But Silas...¡± she managed to say.


    Olivia looked in the direction of the strangely silent mouse, waiting for him to utter a wish, which in the end he did not.


    ¡°It''s not your responsibility, my dear,¡± the elf said. ¡°There are people more prepared than you to take care of him. Not everyone has bad intentions.¡±


    No, it would be foolish to think that Olivia was the only one who could save him. In the end, he was forced to follow her, because he had no other choice. If he could make it to the island with someone else, he would gladly do so and leave her behind.


    ¡°Don''t speak for me, you nasty elf!¡± exclaimed the mouse. ¡°I could see your intentions from the highest mountain peak!¡±


    Ah, Silas, the usual Silas was back. Olivia couldn''t help a smirk that almost turned into a smile.


    ¡°Now that you know I can''t do anything to you, has your courage returned, little creature?¡± Daephennya leaned toward him, and the mouse backed away.


    She was pleased at that gesture of fear.


    ¡°I won''t speak for you, then, but, you, Olivia, think of all the people who suffer unjust situations, and those you could help, like Barthra, poor thing.¡±


    ¡°Don''t talk about Barthra!¡± Olivia got angry for the first time, but couldn''t help asking. "What''s wrong with her?¡±


    ¡°Well, she has disobeyed, and your father has expelled her from the Circle.¡±


    ¡°No, you''re lying! He would never...¡±


    He could never. No matter how angry he was, he wouldn''t be able to get rid of the woman who raised him, the only grandmother she ever had.


    ¡°Every choice must be paid,¡± Daephennya pointed to a spot in the forest. ¡°Come closer, let the tree speak to you.¡±


    The elf stepped aside for Olivia to advance towards one of the trees. She rested a hand on it and closed her eyes. Another trick her mother had taught her, besides hiding in the trunks.


    Crossing a stream of branches, earth and roots, her vision expanded through the dense vegetation at the speed of the wind, and in just a few seconds she reached Barthra''s hut, now empty.


    ¡°Barthra! Barthra!¡± Olivia shouted and her voice reverberated through the entire forest scaring all the creatures that lived there. The deer ran away, the birds left the branches, a bear lost its prey, and the ogres woke up from their late slumber, but, despite her persistence, the old woman did not respond to the call.


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    In the end, her father had done the unthinkable.


    ¡°Become a queen,¡± her mother told her. ¡°And you will avoid injustices like these. You were able to rescue a chimera with so little knowledge... Imagine what you could do as a ruler, and trained by me and Eldrin.¡±


    ¡°But I would be nothing more than the wife of the future king.¡±


    ¡°That''s the first step. You''ll see. You think I would let a daughter of mine become a mere consort?¡±


    Olivia pondered the meaning of those words, but couldn''t bring herself to ask.


    ¡°I don''t want to go back to my father,¡± she said.


    ¡°You will have to, just for a little while. Then you will marry, and have power over him. When you stand up to him, he won''t be able to do anything.¡±


    Olivia didn''t want to listen to her anymore.


    ¡°I need to think,¡± was all she could manage to say.


    ¡°I''ll leave you alone for a while,¡± the elf conceded. ¡°I think your friend will feel more comfortable sharing his thoughts if I am not present. I promise not to listen. Once you''ve made a decision, you know how to call for me.¡±


    ¡°What decision?, Olivia thought, when she didn''t even have a choice.


    That said, the elf disappeared into the thicket until her slender figure became impossible to discern.


    Olivia felt like she was breathing again.


    Now all she had to do was talk things over with Silas and...


    ¡°You''re a damned elf!¡± the mouse exclaimed with a rage it seemed he had been holding back for a long time.


    It wasn''t going to be as simple as she had thought.


    ¡°Half elf,¡± she clarified. ¡°And I didn''t know that until just a year ago.¡±


    ¡°Explain yourself!¡± the haughty mouse demanded.


    Olivia was about to let his tone pass, just because she had lied to him before, but then she remembered something.


    ¡°I don''t know why I have to explain anything when you don''t tell me anything about your former life either... But, just so you can see that I''m not the person you think I am, I''ll still tell you that a year ago I found out that my mother wasn''t dead, as I had believed all my life. And not only that, but she is not human, but probably the most powerful elf that exists.¡±


    ¡°You said she tricked your father.¡±


    ¡°That''s what he told me after my mother appeared in front of me.¡±


    That day they were visiting Barthra. Without warning, Olivia had the idea of committing the mischief of running away, and going deeper into the forest. Her father, annoyed, ran after her, telling her to stop. But she did not listen.


    Suddenly, she felt a hand pulling her somewhere, and she ended up in a small glade she didn''t recognize. She heard her father''s voice calling her, but could not identify the location.


    Then that elf appeared, who first introduced herself as the Lady of the Whispering Forest. It was the first time Olivia had seen her, she felt amazed at her beauty, her eternal youth. They were alone for a while without her father being able to find them. The elf went on to teach her some of her tricks, as if she were a new friend coming to show her pranks.


    It all seemed so innocent, until at one point, the elf looked tired of the game and lifted the veil of mist that prevented her father from seeing them.


    ¡°Your father lied to you, Olivia. I am your mother, and I am very much alive,¡± was all she said.


    As soon as he saw them, Alaric reacted in anger, and dragged Olivia away from the elf. But it was too late, he could not continue with the lie. His father had no choice but to tell the girl that Daephennya had tricked him by pretending to be a human, while gathering fruits from the forest. He became infatuated with her, he did not understand how. Without knowing who she really was, after some time, he asked her to marry him, but, then she disappeared, and he did not see her again for almost a year until one day he saw her emerge from the thicket, still disguised as a human, carrying a baby who was crying bitterly. It wasn''t until she placed the child in his arms that she showed her true face, and disappeared again.


    Since Olivia had found out about it, her father had forbidden her to go near the forest. He hadn''t even been able to visit Barthra.


    ¡°And that''s why you were angry with him,¡± Silas concluded.


    ¡°Since then he has become more cautious than ever.¡±


    But Silas'' indignation still didn''t subside.


    ¡°You talked for two days straight, and at no time did it occur to you to tell me!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°I was going to tell you... and just then the ogre showed up... and then my father... and the thing with the trunk...¡±


    ¡°Well, how convenient for you!¡±


    ¡°Nothing has changed, Silas, I''m still the same person.¡±


    ¡°That Code of yours says something totally different!¡±


    ¡°It''s just drawings!¡±


    ¡°It''s your essence! How can you not see that? Now we''re not just enemies... we''re... doubly enemies!¡±


    ¡°You''re not making any sense!¡±


    ¡°Our alliance ends here!¡±


    Olivia took a deep breath.


    ¡°What are you going to do now then, where will you go, back to the mountains?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I''ll go to the island by myself.¡±


    ¡°Don''t be stubborn. The road to the island is full of wizards.¡±


    ¡°I''ll be guided by my sense of smell.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what you''re looking for. What if you''re wrong? What if you end up somewhere other than Stormbrace?¡±


    ¡°I''m not a child!¡±


    ¡°I''m not saying you are. I''m just saying... no one can survive alone! Chimeras live in packs. I thought you, of all people, would understand that better than anyone else.¡±


    The mouse didn''t respond for several minutes.


    She had hurt him again, Olivia thought, but she didn''t know what else to say to him.


    ¡°I''m hungry...¡± said the chimera at last. ¡°I won''t eat elf food. I''m going hunting.¡±


    ¡°Will you leave?¡± Olivia asked with a shrinking heart.


    ¡°No promises. Although I trust that hateful elf even less. I don''t buy the story of her letting me go just like that. I don''t like the idea, but I think I''ll have to put up with you for a while longer, and run the risk of you betraying me.¡±


    ¡°I won''t betray you...¡±


    ¡°Again?¡± he finished the sentence.


    That said, the mouse wandered off into the grass. Olivia believed him when he said he would return and, in fact, he did a while later, turned into a fox. From some traces of blood on his muzzle, she guessed that he had succeeded.


    They slept outdoors this time. Olivia missed the warmth of the tree, but didn''t want to risk being trapped inside again.


    The next day, as soon as the sun rose, they rejoined Daephennya, and Olivia let her know her decision to return to her father, once Silas was safe and on his way to the island, although she still didn''t know how to help him.


    ¡°Wise decision,¡± nodded the elf satisfied. ¡°And don''t worry. I know how to help you... My child, before you leave your old life, I will grant you a gift, the first of many I will give you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°From what I''ve heard, you''ve always wanted to witness the Return of the Sirenians.¡±


    Olivia was surprised that the woman could even know that.


    ¡°But... it''s late...¡± she objected.


    ¡°Not as late as you think. Actually, you woke up just in time! The Sirenians haven''t reached the lake yet. It will take you a day''s journey to get there.¡±


    ¡°But my father will be attending, and he will take me with him as soon as he sees me.¡±


    ¡°I''m afraid your father will be late this year.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Because he doesn''t trust me, and keeps looking for you on his own.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right...¡±


    ¡°But... to put your mind at ease, I will now share with you the other half of my gift.¡±


    Architects, her mother explained, had the ability to create illusions. She would give Olivia a talisman that, hung around her neck, would help her pretend to be someone else. Of course, she would design it so that its effect would not last more than a few days, just long enough for her daughter to partake of the festivities. Once the affair was over, she could keep her promise to Daephennya, to her father and to Silas.


    Being at the lake, Silas could not be touched by any wizard, and would receive the help of the Sirenians, a peaceful race that would have no problem in guiding him to the Isle of Demons.


    ¡°You have done a great job,¡± said Daephennya to her daughter. ¡°You have saved him from a cruel fate. Now you must let others finish what you started.¡±


    ¡°How do you know I won''t run away?¡±


    ¡°Because I trust my child''s wisdom,¡± for the first time, Daephennya reached out a hand, and placed it under Olivia''s chin. ¡°I have watched you grow up, though from afar,¡± she broke away again, and clapped her hands together. ¡°Now, let''s not waste any time! We must prepare your disguise.¡±


    The elf sent for her servants who appeared with some blue garments for Olivia to try on. Upon closer inspection, the girl realized that it was the same tunic worn by the Acolytes.


    The costume was appropriate because it was normal to meet that type of wizard on the road, as they traveled from town to town in order to learn about the history and geography of Terrarkana, as well as the teachings of the Leaders of the various Wizard Orders that could be found in larger towns or other castles such as Shadowrock.


    It would have been a perfect idea, except that Olivia was embarrassed to be wearing a color that was not yet appropriate for her. Her mother reassured her that the place would be crowded with people, including Acolytes, like her, who would take advantage of the occasion to watch the spectacle.


    No one would notice her presence. It would be like a drop in a lake, as was the case.


    All this time, Silas stood apart without saying a word, not even to Olivia.


    Finally, her mother handed her the talisman: a green, polished stone with a faint light inside. When that glow began to fade away, it would be the sign that the talisman was losing its power.


    Now in her Acolyte''s robes, Olivia hung the talisman around her neck, and hid it under the tunic. She didn''t feel anything special, but when she turned her gaze to Silas, the fox twitched its ears, and watched her curiously.


    One of the elf assistants held up a mirror to her, and met the satin face of a long-haired blonde girl with green eyes. Daephennya let out a giggle, because of her mischief, saying that she had tried to make her daughter appear more like her, but then she changed her mind because, in that case, Olivia would attract much more attention.


    That same morning the travelers bid farewell to the elves, who accompanied them to the edge of the forest, as if they were just saying goodbye to a couple of old friends, although Olivia couldn''t help but feel a knot in her stomach thinking about the impassivity of her elf mother, who was letting her go just like that, as if, in reality, like an experienced Architect, it was her who was pulling all the strings.

 Chapter 16 - The eventful journey

    ¡°I''m terribly sorry, Master Myrius!¡±


    ¡°There, there, it''s okay, don''t trouble yourself...¡±


    ¡°I failed you miserably!¡±


    ¡°It can happen to anyone...¡±


    ¡°I''m a disgrace! The worst of the slugs!¡±


    ¡°Don''t-don''t be so hard on yourself.¡±


    ¡°You can punish me if you want!¡±


    ¡°It''s no big deal...¡±


    ¡°But because of me you''re so late in your mission!¡±


    The Chimera Protection Task Force was now stranded on the last leg of its journey. Since the first day, the magicar had been suffering from a series of problems, and shortly before reaching its destination, it had proved to be a complete failure.


    Because of the snowmelt, the roads had become a treacherous swamp, and the wheels were sinking into the thick mud, requiring more power than Korinna had calculated. Therefore, the pressure exerted on the metal plate, where the seal manifesting the driving force of the carriage had been engraved, reached such a high level that the plaque ended up disintegrating into a thousand pieces.


    Korinna had, in fact, foreseen this eventuality and so, before leaving the city, she had stocked up on a whole bag of spare plates. However, that did not solve the problem completely, because no sooner than two or three hours, after she had got out of the carriage to nail the plate to the back of the vehicle, which in itself took her several minutes, the seal was pulverized again, and she had to do the operation again from scratch.


    And so on and so forth, until all the plates were gone and they were hopelessly stuck.


    Now Korinna was on the ground on her knees, buried in the mud, in front of Myrius, with tears in her eyes.


    ¡°You are the Leader of the mission! You can do whatever you want with me!¡± she exclaimed.


    ¡°Master Korinna, please stop crying!¡± he begged her.


    ¡°Korinna, stop that, and get up,¡± said Fidelia leaning on the carriage with her arms crossed watching that pathetic scene. ¡°If you look at his face, the Master Leader is more scared than you are.¡±


    And that was no exaggeration. Poor Myrius'' face resembled that of a grieving father who didn''t know what to do about the tantrum of the apple of his eye.


    Where the hell had Rovenna gotten him from?


    Korinna wiped her eyes and nose with the sleeves of her tunic.


    At Fidelia''s sharp comment, Myrius cleared his throat.


    ¡°I-I''d better go scout around, and see if I can find someone who can help us,¡± he said, and began to walk away down the path until he dissapeared around a bend.


    Neither of the women made any attempt to follow him. Not because they didn''t want to, but because they were exhausted. It had been a week since they had been able to sleep well, as they had to camp outdoors. They never managed to reach any of the cities or towns before sunset, so several times they had to stop and light a fire, as the nights were still quite cold. They had only stopped in one town or another to eat something, and then set off as soon as possible, hoping that the magicar would work better this time, so that they could at least sleep in a decent bed.


    All the travelers they came across ended up leaving them behind, even some who rode on a mere donkey, and looked at them with curiosity wondering what those poor people without horses were doing there.


    In fact, at some point they had tried to get horses, but people laughed in their faces. Getting horses at this time of the year? When everyone was traveling to the Dragon Lake to witness the Return of the Sirenians?


    In the end, it was going to take as long or longer than if they had employed horses from the beginning.


    Yet Master Myrius never blamed them for anything. Surely he was anxious to arrive, and meet his non-existent chimeras. But, whenever the carriage was stuck again, he simply smiled calmly, and went off to look for mushrooms or fruits, which he would later share with them, or cook on the campfire as supper. When he felt like talking, he would only ever do about chimeras, repeating again everything he had told them before he left or recalling the fragments in which they were mentioned in the Chronicles.


    What little was known about them had been gathered by the hunting wizards, who tried to extract knowledge from the criatures without much success. It was known that there were different types of packs, and each had its own name. The few that had been registered were: Song of Dawn, Night Wind, Wandering Star, and Moon Fang. Not all chimeras could become the same, but it relied on practice, their own experiences and the environment they lived in. Depending on the location of the pack, there were some that could prefer land animals, water animals, air animals, others more aggressive, others faster, diurnal or nocturnal. There were even some that could have escaped by sea, if they had set their minds to it...


    Master Myrius got enthusiastic every time he spoke on the subject. Did Fidelia and Korinna know that a chimera could not receive its name until it had mastered its power, no matter the age it had reached? Not having a name meant not being recognized by the pack. They were amazing creatures, but also ruthless.


    Korinna always listened to him attentively, but Fidelia was tired of the chimeras, and, as the days went by, she felt more and more guilty for that man who was nothing more than a Rovenna''s pawn. Although the former wizard had to admit that she herself was also using him to regain her power.


    She wanted it all to end as soon as possible.


    ¡°I can''t believe he''s a Leader... he''s so nice,¡± Korinna remarked.


    Because he wasn''t a real Master Leader, Fidelia wanted to tell her, but couldn''t.


    ¡°Maybe things in the Council are changing for the better,¡± continued her partner.


    Nope, they hadn''t changed, they probably should be worse.


    ¡°If I fail with my inventions, I can still come back,¡± Korinna concluded.


    ¡°If I were you, I''d think it over,¡± replied Fidelia. ¡°We got a strange man, that''s all.¡±


    ¡°I think I''m going to marry him...¡±


    ¡°It''s enough that a man smiles at you to make you want to marry him...¡±


    ¡°This is different... I still remember the loud voice of my Division Leader and his physical punishments...¡±


    ¡°You cannot like a man just because he doesn''t hit you...¡±


    ¡°How was it that we could tolerate working in such a toxic environment? Thanks to the Nymph we''re out...¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself. You chose it, I didn''t.¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry... I spoke out of turn.¡±


    ¡°It''s all right.¡±


    Another long time passed while they waited for Myrius. It was almost mid-afternoon. Concerned, they decided to take the little luggage they were carrying and start walking. The magicar was left abandoned by the side of the road. Korinna caressed the wood as a farewell.


    ¡°This reminds me of my time as an Acolyte,¡± she said nostalgically, after walking in silence for a while.


    ¡°I don''t miss that time at all. A whole year sleeping in bad conditions and being besieged by villagers who kept asking you for favors. And the wizards of the Orders were pretty annoying too...¡±


    Korinna was about to reply when...


    ¡°Look! A cartwheel!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°And who''s coming there too! Master Myrius! He''s come to save us!¡±


    To Fidelia the word "save" seemed too much, but Korinna''s eyes sparkled with delight. Perhaps because she thought that if it had been one of their former Leaders, he would have abandoned them without looking back.


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    Master Myrius was sitting in a simple cartwheel pulled by an old gray horse. Its owner appeared to be a white-bearded villager wearing simple brown clothes.


    ¡°You won''t believe me when you find out who I''ve met!¡± exclaimed the wizard, smiling and waving his hand.


    When the cartwheel pulled up beside them, the villager took off his hat to greet them:


    ¡°By the warts of a goblin in grandmother''s cauldron!¡±


    That was the password that Rovenna had entrusted to them.


    ¡°Open up, otherwise the wizard''s patience will run out!¡± Fidelia replied.


    ¡°That''s right,¡± smiled the old man. ¡°You had me worried. According to the pigeon I received a few days ago, you should have arrived at Shadowrock some time ago.¡±


    ¡°We suffered a setback with our transport...¡±


    ¡°Master Myrius already explained it to me. Come on up, girls. Guthran is one of my many names and by which you will know me. I am under the orders of a certain person.¡±


    ¡°I thought you might be a wizard,¡± said Korinna once they were seated in the vehicle, which was soon on its way.


    ¡°A wizard would be easy to recognize for the rest of his trade. But an ordinary person has nothing to show for it.¡±


    ¡°I see...¡±


    ¡°Who can imagine things about a decrepit old man like me?¡±


    Towards evening they arrived at the village which, due to its proximity, shared its name with Shadowrock Castle. Guthran''s house was a humble dwelling made of stone, wood and straw, but they didn''t get cold, and he himself kept them warm with a tasty rabbit stew that restored their souls to their bodies. He was fond of plants and hunting, so the interior was crammed with pots from which emanated a soft perfume of medicinal plants, and also piles of skins on which he told them to lie down.


    He also shared that he had been living there for several years, since Rovenna had sent him to the area to watch over the castle''s movements. For obvious reasons, he did not tell them about his previous life. Nowadays he used to transport objects or food. It was not ideal, but both the Count and Eldrin kept strict control over those who worked in the castle, including the servants, so his role as a spy was reduced to what he could collect on his daily visits to the castle. He also went out hunting from time to time, through the forest, and sometimes came across interesting things.


    Saying the latter, he looked Fidelia straight in the eye but without adding anything else.


    ¡°And-and it was you who saw the chimeras,¡± Myrius asked anxiously.


    ¡°Not me, unfortunately. It was some villagers, they were most disturbed, poor fellows. I didn''t have time to question them further, because they left the village at once, saying that there were demons living near the mountains.¡±


    ¡°I see... what a shame,¡± Myrius pondered. ¡°But it''s a good sign... no doubt.¡±


    Poor man, Fidelia thought, but she had already lost too much time. She could not let herself be carried away by pity.


    ¡°Master Myrius,¡± she began to tell him. ¡°Since you have no need of my services for the moment, would you allow me to take a walk around? I will be of no use in the castle. You will be more than safe with the Leader of the Order. Korinna, on the other hand, will be able to assist you in whatever you need.¡±


    ¡°Ah... well, of course, I have no problem with that, if it''s all right with you...¡±


    ¡°I will be happy to help the Master Leader!¡± exclaimed Korinna. ¡°It will be the best way to make up for the whole magicar disaster.¡±


    ¡°Don''t-don''t keep blaming yourself, Master Korinna, really, please," said Myrius embarrassed.


    ¡°With you, Master, to the end!¡±


    ¡°It-It''s no big deal,¡± the wizard''s ears seemed to be burning.


    There was another reason why Fidelia did not want to enter the castle, and that was because she wanted to avoid both Eldrin and Leander as much as possible. If she was lucky, she would find everything she needed to know in the forest, though it wouldn''t be easy to communicate with the Elementals.


    In fact, she couldn''t really imagine it. She didn''t even know if the Elementals could speak the human language.


    So the next day the group split up. Myrius and Korinna made their way on foot to the castle. From afar, Fidelia and Guthran watched as they were greeted by soldiers and a wizard wearing a red tunic, who came out of the great gate to greet them. It seemed to Fidelia that the wizard looked rather like Leander, whom she had not seen in years, and that made her heart shrink.


    Once she saw her two companions being engulfed by the door, she turned around, and followed Guthran into the forest.


    ¡°Now tell me everything in detail,¡± she asked him, as they walked.


    Several weeks ago, Guthran told her, he was preparing to make one of his usual trips to the castle, when a neighbor approached him to warn him not to bother, as they had forbidden entry and exit. Only those carrying food could approach the entrance. A strange disease had spread within the walls, and the villagers were asked to stay as far away as possible.


    Guthran had been in the castle the previous evening to fulfill an errand, and had not noticed anything unusual or heard of anyone being ill. It seemed odd to him that this should happen overnight, so he hid in the area of the forest closest to the castle to spy on their movements.


    It didn''t take him long to see the Count and his entourage appear, whoe were just heading towards where he was hidden. They were going so fast that he barely had time to step away.


    Guthran had crossed paths with the Count many times. He was a man of honor, and therefore it struck him that the noble would leave his home in a time of crisis. Although it would not be unusual for him to want to make himself safe from illness. But, in that case, why had he not taken his daughter with him?


    Then something much more unlikely happened. As Guthran followed the horse tracks, he came upon a scene worthy of a fragment of the Chronicles: Elementals fighting human knights. Though he wasn''t sure if "fighting" was the best word to describe it, but it seemed to be that the Elementals were having fun at the soldiers'' expense.


    Guthran continued his tale by narrating the events of the following days. Another contingent of soldiers tried to save the Count but were also taken prisoner, until, just like that, they were all released at once.


    During all that time, he had remained on the sidelines. He thought he could be caught at any moment, but the Elementals did not notice him, or did not give him any importance. Then the soldiers returned to the castle but, soon after, he saw the Count leave again, this time alone, only to return a little while later. The next day he went out again with his soldiers, but, unlike the first attempt, this time they were not attacked, and continued on their way into the forest. The castle, however, was still blocked, and he had only been able to approach the entrance to bring food that the soldiers themselves unloaded from their cartwheel.


    ¡°Did anything out of the ordinary happen those previous days when you visited the castle?¡± Fidelia asked.


    ¡°Nothing that could explain the disease... The only thing I remember is the incident with a cat.¡±


    ¡°A cat?¡±


    ¡°The Count''s daughter was attacked by a cat, and everyone made a fuss about it, including one of the wizards. Nothing unusual really. The Count takes good care of his daughter. I don''t know why I mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°But he didn''t take her out of the castle.¡±


    ¡°No, he didn''t. I''ve never seen her leave.¡±


    ¡°Could she be the one who''s ill?¡±


    ¡°I doubt it very much. The Count wouldn''t have left her to suffer alone.¡±


    ¡°Unless she needed to fetch an antidote. The elves could be a great help, in that case... It would also explain why the Count didn''t want to tell the king or the Conclave about this, since it could jeopardize his daughter''s marriage to the prince...¡±


    Fidelia weighed all the options without being convinced by any of them. Too many things had happened at the same time for them to be unrelated, but she could not find the link that would unite all the pieces.


    By the time Guthran finished his story they were deep into the forest. If the Elementals were so susceptible to the presence of humans, it would not be long before they appeared.


    However, nothing was happening.


    ¡°Hey, Elementals!¡± Fidelia suddenly shouted.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± shrieked Guthran.


    ¡°Just checking. Elementals, here I am! I''ve come to invade your forest! I am Fidelia Dabrus, sent from the human capital by the Council of Wizards! We are your enemies!¡±


    Nothing, not even a branch moved. The silence seemed to grow heavier and heavier, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.And Fidelia felt more and more ridiculous. What could the Count or any of his men have done to make the magical beings decide to attack them?


    Suddenly, she saw something peeking out of the thicket.


    ¡°Ah,¡± said Guthran. ¡°It is nothing. It''s old Barthra''s hut.¡±


    Fidelia knew that hut since she was a child, but she had never had the courage to go near it. In the village, old Barthra was as much respected as she was feared. Sometimes she had played a game with her childhood friends to see who could get closest there without being discovered by the old woman, but she had not even dared to knock on the door.


    When she got older she stopped being afraid of the healer but, by then, she had already gone to work in the castle as Eldrin''s disciple, and had no time for mischief. This was the first time she managed to get so close.


    ¡°Maybe we should talk to her,¡± Fidelia proposed, a bit driven by curiosity, but Guthran shook his head.


    ¡°You won''t find her in there, nor will you find her in the village or even in the forest. She''s gone.¡±


    ¡°Gone? Why?¡±


    ¡°It remains unknown. A woman came to visit her to ask for a ointment, and found that no one was there. Anyway, the healer had left several bottles on the table ready to be given to those who needed it.¡±


    ¡°Does this have to do with the Count?¡±


    ¡°Probably, but... the Count regarded her as a mother. The story is well known around here...¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I know. The famous healer from a faraway land who managed to save the heir of the Circle.¡±


    ¡°Rovenna wrote that you lived here as a child.¡±


    ¡°That was too long ago. Let''s focus on the present.¡±


    They entered the hut, which was tidy, although with some dust accumulated in the absence of someone to clean up. The villagers had already taken away all the herbs and medicines. All that remained was furniture, household goods, and humble ornaments. Nothing of significance.


    Except for the two flower fairies who were dusting a table with sprigs of herbs.


    ¡°Hey!¡± exclaimed Fidelia, but the two fairies flew out through a hole in the wall.


    She ran out of the hut, but saw no sign of either of them.


    ¡°It was also rumored that Barthra had a good relationship with the Elementals,¡± commented Guthran.


    None of that could be just a coincidence, thought Fidelia racking her brains, but she had to accept that the Elementals would not talk to her.


    She had to go to the castle...


    Fidelia sighed. It was the last thing she wanted, but she would have to make the sacrifice, if she wanted to have any chance of regaining her magic.


    They left the forest, and Fidelia headed for the gray walls. Guthran waved goodbye, saying that his presence would make no sense to the soldiers, and wished her luck.


    She carried a small parchment with the Master Arcanist''s seal on it, but she guessed they wouldn''t let her in easily. A former wizard with a cross seal on her chest was not something that would be looked upon favorably. She would have to request Myrius'' presence for him to confirm to them that she was one of his companions.


    That was why she was surprised when, once in front of the huge door, the soldiers allowed her to pass right away, after barely glancing at the parchment. Maybe she was mistaken after all.


    But no sooner had she stepped through the door than she felt a magical force pull her to the ground, and everything went dark. Someone had covered her eyes.


    Immediately, she felt hands grabbing her, and dragging her somewhere.


    She didn''t know why, but she had been taken prisoner.


    Although now she could at least confirm that Eldrin was up to something.

 Chapter 17 - The prisoners

    Those wizards probably didn''t know who she was, otherwise they wouldn''t have gone to so much trouble to stop her from using magic. Holding both of her arms, they made her walk through what she assumed to be the courtyard. From there on, among so many curves, corridors and creaking doors, it was difficult for her to distinguish the way, but when she suddenly realized that they were going down some stairs, she was sure that she was being led to the dungeons.


    She confirmed it by hearing the metallic sound of the door of the cell, and inmediatly she was forced to sit down to be fasten to the wall with chains and shackles, without removing the hood. After her captors left her alone, she heard the key turning inside the lock.


    What a mess Rovenna had thrown her into. To think that right now she could be enjoying the warmth of the sun and the murmur of the sea on one of the northern islands, if only she hadn`t been so easily swayed.


    If the Master Arcanist did not keep her word, she would not only expose her, but she would find a way to blow up the entire Council.


    ¡°I-I-I- demand an ex-ex-ex-planation!¡± Fidelia heard Myrius'' muffled voice very close, trying to sound authoritative. ¡°With-with wh-wh-what right...?¡±


    ¡°Master Myrius!¡± exclaimed Fidelia.


    ¡°Miss Fidelia!¡±


    ¡°Fidelia!¡± it was Korinna''s voice.


    ¡°Fidelia?¡± asked a male voice that, despite the years apart, she knew so well.


    ¡°Leander?¡± Fidelia asked surprised. ¡°What are you doing down here?¡±


    ¡°I was about to ask the same question!¡± Leander''s voice sounded a little farther away.


    ¡°I''m on a mission!¡±


    ¡°From the Council? Then you...?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Fidelia didn''t want to add anything else, because they were being heard.


    ¡°Ah... How then?¡±


    ¡°It''s too complicated to explain!¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡± the voice of an unknown man reverberated throughout the dungeon.


    No matter how many questions she had, it would be impossible to talk to Leander at that moment. Now she needed to assess the situation, and determine whether an escape plan was possible.


    While in the distance Fidelia listened to her captors talking, she tried to whisper as quietly as she could.


    ¡°Korinna? Myrius? Are you here with me?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Korinna whispered in reply.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Korinna went on to tell her that, at first, everything had gone normal. They were received by a Master of the Order and taken to the Leader''s desk, but he wasn''t there. So they were asked to wait there until his return, as he was supposed to be studying in the library. Some time passed but no one arrived. Then some servants served them lunch. Another wizard appeared, and told them that the Leader had to go to the forest because of some business with the elves. Myrius then asked about the Count, but was told that he was also absent because, as every year, he was participating in the Return of the Sirenians.


    ¡°What did they tell you about the illness?¡± Fidelia asked.


    ¡°What illness?¡±


    As Rovenna had assumed, there was no such illness. It was a lie to keep the villagers away, so that they would not come out to tell what was really happening, and it had to be something very big for even Leander, the Leader''s assistant, to end up locked up in the dungeon. But what did the Elementals have to do with all that?


    ¡°Not important. How did you end up here then?¡±


    ¡°We don''t know. We fell asleep.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It must have been the food. When we woke up, we were already here. The chains must have annulling seals on them, because we couldn''t do anything.¡±


    Myrius struggled to control his anger.


    ¡°This is a clear uprising against the Council! When the Concavle hears of this...¡±


    A cry of pain came out of Myrius'' mouth, and Fidelia heard his body fall to the ground. One of the wizards had thrown a shockwave, causing him to hit the wall.


    So she took advantage of the noise to manipulate the chains that held her.


    When wizards lost their magic the first thing they felt was helplessness. Fidelia hated that feeling, so, after being expelled, she started to travel and worked on learning new tricks that had gotten her out of several situations like that one. On the inside of her sleeve there was a hook that she managed to tear off with her fingers and began to manipulate the lock on the chains. In a few seconds her hands were free.


    The first thing she did was to slowly lift her hood, and found herself in a dark cell, barely illuminated by one of the torches that stood a few meters away, just above where the men who were holding them were killing time playing cards. Carefully she began to manipulate the chains that held her legs.


    Now completely free, she reached out to Korinna and shrieked at her not to say anything while she manipulated the chains. Then she did the same with Myrius who had to suppress a little cry of surprise.


    It was two against two, plus a wizard with no magic and another one still imprisoned, though she still wasn''t sure what role was Leander playing. Added to that were the rest of the wizards of the Order.


    ¡°You take care of those two and I''ll go free Leander,¡± she whispered to her teammates.


    ¡°What?¡± Korinna sounded surprised. ¡°You expect me to fight?¡±


    ¡°You were trained when you were an Acolyte and then when you joined the Council.¡±


    ¡°Yes... but that was a long time ago... Since then...¡±


    ¡°And you, Master Myrius?¡±


    ¡°I... well... I have to admit that... I did very badly...¡±


    They were the worst Task Force in the entire history of the Council or even the kingdom.


    ¡°But I can''t fight with magic!¡± Fidelia was trying to keep her voice down, but she was losing her patience. ¡°Do you want to take a shot or stay here for we don''t know how long?¡±


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°The door has a seal on it,¡± Korinna warned.


    ¡°Can you decode it from here?¡±


    Korinna''s chest swelled with pride.


    ¡°Well, that... I do know how to do it.¡±


    If they couldn''t fight one-on-one, the advantage was in the surprise element. So Korinna not only deactivated the seal on the lock, but also knocked down the cell door with a shockwave, which flew out and smashed into the two wizards before they could manage to fight back.


    As they tried to get the heavy door off their bodies, Myrius took the opportunity to throw more shockwaves at the two, making their task even more difficult. Korinna ran to Leander''s cell to deactivate the seal. Once that was accomplished, Fidelia yelled for her to go help Myrius while she proceeded to remove the chains.


    Due to the many attacks he had launched, Myrius was already at the edge of his resistance. His captors managed to remove the door and threw it at him, but just at that moment Korinna threw a shockwave that caused them to miss the shot, and Myrius narrowly escaped being hit.


    That allowed Fidelia the time to finish freeing Leander, who ran out of the cell to assist the two strangers who, by a miracle, had come to his rescue. To her regret, Fidelia could do nothing but watch the fight from the darkness, as she would be more of a nuisance than a help.


    Leander proved to be a skilled fighter, something Fidelia knew very well since both he and Eldrin had been her first teachers. With a combination of shields, shockwaves and paralysis, he managed to stop the two keepers, who were busy stopping Myrius and Korinna''s attacks. Once defeated, he sealed their power with the same chains with which they had bound them. In what involved magical combat, the Order of Shadowrock had nothing to envy, not even to the wizards trained in the capital.


    Myrius and Korinna celebrated that victorious outcome, but Leander and Fidelia, both cautious, turned their eyes towards the stairs. They still had to deal with the rest of the wizards who might have been alerted by the commotion.


    And it seemed that had been the case as it wasn''t long before they heard running footsteps coming down. Myrius and Korinna raised their arms and conjured shields to protect themselves from the first attacks. Leander would take the offensive.


    Fidelia broke a wooden chair to use its pieces as projectiles. She didn''t have much hope. She would be the first to be captured again, but at least she could leave a bruise on the face of one of her attackers. From what she listened, it seemed like at least ten people were coming to them.


    The glow of a torch peeked around the bend in the stairs. The four of them stiffened. Fidelia''s breathing quickened. The shadow of a man appeared first, then stopped in front of them.


    ¡°Master Leander?¡±


    Fidelia recognized the voice. It was Harald, the castle steward. An elderly man, with white hair and restrained gestures, whom she had known since she was a child.


    ¡°Harald?¡± Leander sounded astonished.


    The steward bowed his head.


    ¡°Master, I''m glad you managed to get out on your own. I''m afraid none of us stood a chance against two wizards of the Order,¡± his eyes met Fidelia''s. ¡°Master Fidelia, I am pleased to see you in good health after so long.¡±


    ¡°We?¡± Leander seemed not to understand anything. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Well, the service, Master,¡± Harald stepped aside, and pointed to a group of tall and muscular servants carrying sticks and tools, as ready to attack as the group was just a couple of minutes ago. ¡°In cases like these, His Excellency already had a plan prepared.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean in cases like these?¡± Leander asked.


    ¡°Extreme cases. Milord did not entirely trust wizards, and he did not think it was wrong to resort to the same servants who would not be considered a threat. Several of them were trained by Sir Cormac for such eventualities.¡±


    ¡°I see... no one ever tells me anything...¡± Leander mumbled before continuing the interrogation.


    ¡°But... What happened to the rest of the Order?¡±


    Harald signaled them to go upstairs. When they reached the corridor, he led them to the dining room where dinner had been served as usual. There they saw about twenty wizards, Masters, Acolytes and some Initiates, snoring on the tables. Some of the other servants were already putting chains of magical nullification on their wrists and dragging them towards the dungeon.


    ¡°If I may be so bold, Master,¡± said Harald. ¡°Wizards tend to look down on us. They think that, because we do not possess magic, we will do everything they tell us.¡±


    ¡°I see, Harald. I will keep that in mind in the future...¡±


    ¡°You have always treated us well, you have nothing to worry about.¡±


    Leander cleared his throat a bit.


    ¡°The bad thing about all this... is that the Order has run out of wizards...¡±


    Fidelia decided it was time to interrupt them.


    ¡°Leander, what is all this?¡±


    Leander asked the team to follow him to the Master Leader''s desk which, to Fidelia''s disbelief, he had been occupying for the past few weeks.


    ¡°I''m afraid what I have to tell you is very delicate,¡± he looked at Miryus and Korinna. ¡°We wanted to resolve this before it reached the Council''s ears.¡±


    ¡°They can be trusted,¡± Fidelia assured him.


    He took a few seconds to continue.


    ¡°Anyway, I don''t understand what you are doing working for the Council, since...¡±


    ¡°It is Rovenna''s business, we have come on her behalf. Only she and her assistant know that we are here on a secret mission. It''s not in our best interest for the Conclave to know either.¡±


    Leander raised his eyebrows. Myrius was about to say something but Fidelia stopped him. She didn''t want him to start talking about chimeras right now.


    Apparently Leander took her word for it, and told them that the reason he was in charge was because Eldrin had betrayed the Count. His daughter Olivia had disappeared, and Eldrin was responsible. Since then, the Count had been scouring the entire area of the Circle, as well as the nearby areas in search of the girl.


    Meanwhile, Eldrin had been left in Leander''s custody but, just a day before the Task Force arrived at the castle, most of the wizards of the Order, under Eldrin''s own instructions, rose up against the new Leader. Thus the old wizard was freed, and he was locked in the dungeon. Eldrin was now either on the run or in search of the Count''s daughter. Leander was betting more on the second scenario.


    ¡°I-I have heard something about it,¡± said Myrius.


    Lately there had been a lot of talk in the Council. The king wanted to marry his heir to the Count''s daughter. Something that made no sense to anyone, as she would be the one who would eventually have to fill her father''s position as Keeper of the Circle. There were many nobles against the marriage, as well as wizards. But of one thing Myrius was sure, and that was that everyone was aware that the person behind the alliance was Eldrin Caedos himself, who years ago had lost the position of Arcanist Master to Rovenna Astra.


    ¡°But that doesn''t make sense,¡± said Fidelia. ¡°If Eldrin wanted the Count''s daughter to marry the prince, why did he let her go in the first place?¡±


    Leander would say no more. Fidelia knew he was hiding something.


    ¡°So the illness was all a sham to keep the news from leaking to the outside,¡± she continued.


    Leander nodded his head. Fidelia didn''t want to stop insisting until she got something else out of him.


    ¡°What about the Elementals? Was that part of the plan too?¡±


    Leander''s eyes widened.


    ¡°You also know about the Elementals?¡± he asked.


    ¡°That''s why we''re really here.¡±


    Master Myrius let out a gasp.


    ¡°But...¡±


    Fidelia felt sick at that moment. Damn Rovenna.


    ¡°I''m sorry to have to tell you this, Master Myrius, but Rovenna has been fooling you from the beginning. We never came here to look for chimeras, but to investigate an attack the Count and his soldiers suffered at the hands of the Elementals.¡±


    Leander jumped in his seat.


    ¡°What chimeras?¡± he exclaimed, running out of breath.


    ¡°Relax, Leander, there is no chimera, it was all a lie. Rovenna made up that there were chimeras roaming the area to have an excuse to send a unit to investigate what was really going on in the castle.¡±


    ¡°Ah... that was it,¡± Leander seemed relieved that there were no chimeras. Fidelia was struck by his reaction, as if he really believed it was possible that there could be chimeras roaming around Shadowrock.


    ¡°So... the Chimera Protection Task Force was also a sham?¡± Korinna asked with a sad face.


    ¡°I''m afraid so,¡± sighed Fidelia, scratching her head. ¡°Rovenna didn''t want anyone to know about the Elementals'' attack.¡±


    Master Myrius threw himself on a chair, totally dejected. His image was that of a man who saw the grandiose illusions he had nurtured during so many years of tireless hope shatter before his eyes. He had reached the end of the road, and there was nothing there waiting for him.


    With a shadow in his eyes he asked again:


    ¡°There are no chimeras?¡±


    ¡°There are no chimeras,¡± Fidelia answered with sorrow.


    ¡°There were never any chimeras,¡± the Master''s eyes became wet.


    Korinna placed a hand on his back in an attempt to comfort him.


    Fidelia bowed her head in apology.


    ¡°Forgive me, Master, you are a honorable person, and I am a despicable being. I didn''t want things to end like this between us. But, even so, chimeras or no chimeras, you are part of the mission, and you will be able to help us solve the mystery of the Elementals. I am sure Rovenna will appreciate your services, even if you were unaware of the truth. ¡±


    A few seconds of intense silence passed. None of the three members of the faked Task Force felt like saying anything else, but Fidelia found herself in the predicament of resuming the conversation about the events that had taken place in the castle, and how they should proceed from that point on.


    Suddenly, Leander''s coughing was heard again.


    ¡°Well...¡± he began to say. ¡°Perhaps, in the end, there may be some truth in all of this.¡±

 Chapter 18 - The Blue Dragon Lake

    Pressed by the fear of being discovered and after an intense day of walking through meadows, small groves, fields, and the eventual ascension of a slope, interrupted only by a couple of necessary rests, at sunset, Olivia and Silas reached the summit of one of the hills surrounding the Blue Dragon Lake.


    The sun, on its descent towards the horizon, painted the sky pink and scattered golden glints over the small huts of thatch and wood, which spread down the hillside until touching the lakeshore. Some were even located above the water, built on stilts.


    That was the home of the Lake Tribe. Ordinary humans who had joined their lives to that of the Sirenians, magical beings of the water, who led a nomadic life governed by the cycle of the seasons. Each year, before the arrival of winter, with the consequent freezing of the lake, they would migrate to warmer waters beyond the Freedom Sea, and would not reappear until well after the thaw.


    In the very center of the lake was a small, simple, unmarked promontory of rocks indicating the spot where, a millennium ago, the Blue Dragon had found his final resting place. His tomb was said to be deep within the lake and was in the custody of the Sirenians themselves and, in their absence, the human chiefs of each family that remained on land. Olivia could not imagine a way of life so different from the one she knew, with whole families separated for months at a time, perhaps living in fear of not being able to be reunited with a loved one at the arrival of spring.


    From the deserted hill where they stood, Olivia and Silas could observe the movements of the human inhabitants, as well as several carts and carriages traveling along a dirt road, that, for safety''s sake, they had been avoiding. By all accounts, their occupants were strangers from other parts of the kingdom, who shared the same desire to participate in the upcoming festival. Many had even set up camp in the surrounding grounds, so they found a large area littered with colorful tents, while several campfires began to burn between the hills and the lakeshore.


    As the sky darkened, and the first stars began to appear, the small silhouettes of all those people became more cheerful. Several musicians had begun to play and sing by the light of the campfires, others were carrying barrels of wine and beer, and some couples were dancing around.


    Olivia would have loved to participate in that collective joy, but she thought it best to spend the first night away from the crowd, out of sight, hidden by a pile of bushes. They went to sleep there. Silas, wrapped in his own fox tail and a blanket, a gift from the elves that Olivia, despite his protests, decided to share with him, while, lying on her back, she watched the stars that gradually grew darker as her tired eyes closed.


    They woke up with the first sunbeams. Olivia had some muffins for breakfast, also a gift from the elves. Silas, like last time, decided that he would go on his own and look for her later. Olivia wasn''t sure about the latter. She feared that he would decide to leave her without saying goodbye, and she would never see him again.


    But he was free, she repeated to herself, he could do whatever he wanted without asking her.


    Still, she couldn''t help but remind him of what they had already been talking about the day before for quite a while as they walked to the lake:


    ¡°Don''t go too far. The ceremony could happen at any time.¡±


    ¡°I''ll keep an eye out.¡±


    ¡°I''m sure the Sirenians will be able to help you.¡±


    ¡°I''m not so sure...¡±


    ¡°Don''t tell me...¡± she sighed. ¡°The Sirenians are also enemies of the chimeras.¡±


    He avoided her gaze.


    ¡°Actually... no, ¡°he admitted. ¡°But they''ve always been neutral. I don''t know how much they can do.¡±


    ¡°If you decide to leave, you''ll never know.¡±


    ¡°I won''t leave...¡± he said, although his voice sounded evasive. ¡°I have to take care of something first, though, it''ll take a while.¡±


    ¡°Silas...¡±


    ¡°I can''t show up in town as a fox," he growled. ¡°It would attract too much attention. I don''t want to go as a cat or mouse either, there might be pets that would want to chase me. When I get my new form, I''ll come looking for you.¡±


    ¡°But what form...?¡± Olivia wanted to ask, but the fox ran off down the hillside, and disappeared from sight among the grass.


    And so, Olivia found herself alone, and, to her surprise, with total freedom to go wherever she pleased, something unthinkable for her until then. She could not remember ever having found herself in a similar situation before, without counting all those days on the run with Silas. Although she had spent many hours alone in her room, in the library, and even exploring the secret passages, that was not the same. Now, disguised as an Acolyte, she had to behave like one and take the opportunity to wander through the little streets of that charming village.


    In reality there were no streets. The wooden huts with thatched roofs were scattered everywhere, in a disorderly manner, separated by only a few meters from each other, sometimes by much less. It seemed that anyone could walk wherever they wanted without people feeling annoyed that they were trespassing on their property. Some people even bowed their heads as they watched her walk by, perhaps noticing the type of outfit she was wearing. No one had stopped her or questioned her presence.


    Some homes had small vegetable gardens, others had simple potted plants on their porches, or even small chicken coops where chickens roamed free looking for something to eat. Seeing them, she wondered amused if Silas would not decide for that form, although she saw it as unlikely.


    On the shore were piled fishing rods, nets, and boats that Olivia had seen sail out and return to land as the morning passed. Gazing at the crystalline surface of the water, she again met the reflection of her new face, and for a moment raised the collar of her robe to check the intensity of the glow emitted by the talisman. It was still as potent as at the beginning, though she wondered how long its effect would last.


    As the morning progressed, the crowd gathered on the shore was increasing: merchants strolling along with their families, artisans who had taken advantage of the occasion to sell their goods, farmers arriving with their carts announcing the sale of fruits and vegetables, as well as several nobles in colorful clothes, some of whom were familiar to her, perhaps because they had visited Shadowrock at some point. Fortunately, she did not seem to see many wizards. Occasionally she crossed paths with another Acolyte, whom she tried to avoid by getting lost among the huts. She did not see any red-robed Masters.As for the villagers, it was very easy to tell them apart from the rest. Most of them had tanned skin. They wore simple clothes, mainly light-colored tunics and dresses, the length of which, in most cases, did not go beyond the knee, thus showing bare legs. Some elders, who appeared to occupy some position of authority, probably heads of the family, wore white clothes with light blue edges. Most of the villagers wore straw hats or headscarves to protect themselves from the sun, and all wore sandals. The temperature had been rising steadily, and several children had run down from the huts to dive into the water. Olivia, who was suffocating in her tunic, was envious of them.


    Passing by a group of locals who were sorting the catch of the day, she overheard the conversation that one of them was having with one of the nobles. Feeling curious, she hid behind a huge rock embedded near the shore.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± greeted the nobleman, standing decisively in front of the fishermen.


    ¡°Good morning, sir,¡± politely replied a tanned, bare-chested boy, perhaps only a few years older than Olivia, who was busy untangling a net.


    ¡°I would like to request a visit to the Dragon Tomb.¡±


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    The same boy exchanged glances with the other four who accompanied him. Olivia caught a girl in the group biting her lips, as if repressing the temptation to laugh.


    ¡°Sir, I''m sorry to tell you,¡± excused the boy. ¡°That won''t be possible.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± insisted the nobleman.


    ¡°The only way to reach the tomb is with the help of a sirenian.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see,¡± the nobleman seemed to understand but then added. ¡°Then I must await their arrival. Good day to you.¡±


    ¡°But...¡± added the boy before the nobleman started to retreat. ¡°It isn''t as simple as it sounds.¡±


    ¡°Well, of course, I imagine, I suppose it will have its price.¡±


    ¡°Nothing really, sir.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me the sirenians do it for free?¡± the nobleman seemed as skeptical as he was delighted.


    ¡°We don''t use money here,¡± interceded the same young woman who had almost laughed, although this time her voice sounded impatient. ¡°The sirenians only take someone to visit the tomb when they have gained their trust.¡±


    The nobleman wanted to know more and the girl, barely feigning reluctance, continued:


    ¡°In simple words... You need to befriend a sirenian, and see if he or she is willing to take you there.¡±


    ¡°How curious...¡± said the nobleman thoughtfully. ¡°But, well, if those are the rules... So first I must wait for his arrival, then befriend him and convince him... How long would that take? I don''t plan to stay more than two or three days.¡±


    Another man, chuckling, jumped into the conversation.


    ¡°I''m not sure, sir, it depends on the sirenian you choose.¡±


    ¡°Can you recommend any particular sirenian?¡±


    ¡°I can''t think of any in particular.¡±


    The nobleman seemed to understand that he had reached a dead end.


    ¡°Thank you for the help,¡± he said, though not very willingly. ¡°Perhaps I''d better go to one of your elders,¡± he turned away with the same arrogance with which he had arrived.


    Once the nobleman was far away enough, the group let out a long row of laughter, although one of them did not miss the opportunity to complain:


    ¡°By the Dragon''s fury! Every year it''s the same! I''m tired of these people!¡±


    ¡°Don''t let the Chiefs hear you. As hosts, we should be an example of cordiality,¡± said the girl, although with some mockery. This was followed by a series of jokes at the expense of the outsiders who visited the lake during the celebrations.


    An old man in white and light blue robes passed by them.


    ¡°Brothers and sisters... let nothing cloud your joy. Tonight, after a long winter, we shall once again embrace our beloved ones.¡±


    The group lowered their heads in respect, and continued with their work.


    With that episode over, Olivia continued on her way wondering where she could get something to eat. It was already lunchtime. The smell of grilled fish was coming from some of the campfires, which caused her stomach to growl loudly. She only had two rolls and some mushrooms left, but she wished to have something more appetizing.


    ¡°Hey, hey!¡± she heard a child''s voice shouting, but she paid no attention until he suddenly said, ¡°Miss Acolyte, Miss Acolyte!¡±


    It took Olivia a moment to realize that he was talking to her. Well, of course, if she was an Acolyte. She turned her head in all directions to make sure, but she was indeed the only one at that moment who could fit that description. She suddenly found herself face to face with a boy of about ten, wearing a green knee-lenght tunic, who was looking at her with worried eyes.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Olivia said.


    ¡°Can you come with me? My grandfather has something in his stomach! He feels terrible! He''s lying on the floor!¡±


    Olivia panicked as soon as she understood that he was expecting her to go heal his grandfather, but she had never come close to learning any healing methods. She barely had any notion of forest herbs that Barthra had once mentioned to her, but she hadn''t paid any attention, and had forgotten everything she had told her.


    ¡°Please hurry!¡± the boy''s voice sounded desperate and his eyes were wet.


    Olivia, in order to calm him down, agreed to follow him. Maybe she could pretend a little and then excuse herself by saying she was a lousy Acolyte. Worst case scenario, she would run off, and briefly remove the talisman to mislead.


    The boy rushed off, and Olivia was soon out of breath as they raced through the huts going round and round like a maze. Several times she nearly bumped into other people, whom the boy in front of her dodged with swift movements.


    She did not think the place was so far away. The boy forced her to run until reaching one side of the lake, where there was a hut on stilts sunk in the water. The simple construction was no different from the rest, except that it appeared to be a little larger. They climbed up a long staircase to the inside, which consisted of nothing more than a large space with some pots and fishing tools piled in some corners.


    In the middle of it lay an old man with an almost completely bald head and a gray beard that reached to the base of his neck. He didn''t look very tall, but his scarred arms and legs gave evidence of a life of hard work. He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, as well as knee-length pants, both of which were white. He was lying on his back with his hand on his stomach, and his eyes closed as if in pain.


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± the boy shouted to wake him up, although it seemed to Olivia that he was afraid he was dying.


    The man sat up with fright.


    ¡°Zaagic! What happened?¡±


    ¡°I''ve brought some help!¡± his grandson exclaimed.


    ¡°Help?¡± asked the old man in confusion, and then began to study Olivia. ¡°Ah... but... Zaagic! You little brat! What have you done? You brought me an Acolyte! It was no big deal! I even feel better now!¡±


    ¡°Grandma told me to take care of you, and not to listen when you say you''re fine!¡± Zaagic protested.


    ¡°Your grandmother exaggerates as usual! And while she''s not here, I''m the only one in charge!¡±


    ¡°Not for long!¡±


    ¡°You impertinent little bugger!¡± the old man picked up a sandal that had been left lying around, and threw it over the boy''s head. ¡°Go back to your parents! I don''t want to see you until the party starts! And meanwhile, tell the other jokers to stop sending me annoying nobles who want to visit the tomb!¡±


    Zaagic ran off the way he had come, and left Olivia in the awkward situation of not knowing whether to leave or stay, though she was relieved that the man didn''t want her help, as seemed to be the case.


    ¡°Miss...¡± the man''s breathing sounded agitated, perhaps as much from the pain in his stomach as from his displeasure. ¡°Forgive my grandson, I am not as sick as he led you to believe. I don''t need the services of any wizard. And, no disrespect intended, your methods have always seemed very rough to me.¡±


    Still, the man continued to clutch his stomach, and continued to breathe slowly. Olivia looked around, and discovered some herbs hanging from a hook on the wall.


    ¡°I don''t have to use magic,¡± she said. ¡°Would you like me to make you some tea?¡±


    The old man nodded gratefully, and Olivia set to work. She had spent many hours in the library with Eldrin, who was a huge tea lover, especially of the digestive tea he drank after his generous lunches.


    She went out in search of hot water, which she got from a neighbor, and poured a cup for the old man, who luckily instructed her which herb he prefered, because she had no idea which would be the right one.


    The man took the cup she offered him, and, after taking a few sips, he looked pleased.


    ¡°Thank you so much, you have been very kind, and I apologize again for all the trouble my grandson has caused you,¡± said the old man. ¡°My name is Mantok Azuris.¡±


    He stared at Olivia.


    ¡°Ah... my name... My name is Dahlia.¡±


    It hadn''t occurred to her to make up a name ahead of time, as she did not expect to make acquaintances with anyone either. The only name she had at hand was that of her paternal grandmother.


    ¡°Miss Acolyte... Dahlia...?¡±


    ¡°Dahlia Silas.¡±


    Darn it. In the rush to choose a last name she had thought of her elusive traveling companion.


    The man pondered that odd combination.


    ¡°Silas... interesting... I didn''t know that it was also a family name.¡±


    But the subject remained there, and luckily he made no mention of any legendary chimera.


    Suddenly, a skinny man in baggy clothes and agitated, appeared in the doorway.


    ¡°Chief! Are you all right?¡±


    The calmness of a few seconds ago abandoned Mantok.


    ¡°Yes, by the Dragon''s fury! If you keep bothering me, I''m going to get sick again!¡±


    ¡°If something happens to you, just before the Return, Chief Thalassa will never forgive us, said the man not very convinced.


    ¡°I''m fine! Cannot you see there is an Acolyte here with me? She has helped me feel better.


    The man''s eyes widened, and he bowed deeply.


    ¡°Thank you so much, Miss Acolyte, thank you so much!¡±


    ¡°But I...¡± Olivia wanted to say that she had done almost nothing, but she didn''t want to contradict the elder Mantok, who now happened to be none other than one of the Chiefs of the tribe. Of all the huts, she had just entered the one she shouldn''t have.


    Although, on second thought, perhaps he was the most suitable person to mediate with the sirenians, and thus help Silas.


    ¡°Well, you see, I''m much better, and all thanks to Miss Dahlia Silas, now go, and let her work in peace!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Chief, I won''t bother you anymore! Thank you, Miss Silas, many, many, many thanks!¡±


    The man turned to run away, scared off by the Chief''s words, and almost fell head over heels when he tripped over a big, shaggy, coal-black dog that walked through the door, as if nothing happened, and sat down next to Olivia.


    At first she thought it was the Chief''s pet, but then he immediately asked:


    ¡°Magnificent animal, is it yours?¡±


    Olivia turned her head to take a good look at the dog, which lay down on the ground, and wagged his tail lazily. He opened he jaws wide to let out a deep yawn, and, resting his head on his paws, gave Olivia a look that seemed to be a mixture of disgust and presumption.


    Silas!


    He was back sooner than she thought!


    She smiled at the dog.


    ¡°Ah, yes, it''s mine. His name is... Shadow.¡±


    The dog wiggled his ears, as if pondering his new name, and finally let out a sigh, as if to imply that he thought it was acceptable.

 Chapter 19 - The Lake Tribe

    Silas felt an overwhelming sense of pride. What would have taken him several days before, he had now accomplished in just a few hours. That could only mean that he was finally beginning to master his power, and it would only be a matter of time before he could transform himself into anything he wanted with his will alone.


    Of course, he had already seen dogs roaming around the castle, and had been thinking for some time about becoming one. If he hadn''t done it before it was because they were used for other jobs, like hunting or guarding flocks of sheep. But now that he was traveling with Olivia, he could pretend to be her pet, although the idea didn''t really appeal to him.


    He left behind a rocky area among the hills, where he had been practicing his transformation for most of the morning, and set out to look for the girl. It was not easy due to the number of people that had begun to crowd the narrow streets of the village, although, after several days of travel, added to the time they had been locked inside the tree, he had become accustomed to her fragrant scent, and, after a while, he managed to follow her trail.


    He had thought he would find her wandering around, observing the place and the locals. So he was surprised when he discovered that she was inside one of the huts. They had agreed that she wouldn''t talk to anyone, and would wait for the sirenians to arrive, but, apparently, Olivia had been confined to the castle for so long that she couldn''t shake the urge to meet new people.


    After dodging a man who almost fell on him, Silas entered the hut, and very naturally sat down next to Olivia. In front of him was an old man who looked at him with curiosity and amazement. No wonder, he had chosen a magnificent black color, shiny as the wings of a raven, deep as a night without stars, as beautiful as Olivia''s hair...


    Wait, where did that thought come from? He watched Olivia for a few seconds, but felt a shiver at the sight of her, as now she looked so much like her mother, and the elf only made his blood run cold.


    ¡°Ah, yes, it''s mine. His name is... Shadow.¡±


    Olivia''s words pulled him out of distraction.


    ¡°A most appropriate name,¡± the old man said.


    Yes, it seemed that Olivia was becoming more skilled at choosing names, although that one would be temporary, as he liked Silas much better.


    ¡°And tell me, Acolyte Silas, is this your first time in our town?¡±


    But why was he calling her by his name?


    ¡°Call me Dahlia, no need to be so formal¡±, responded Olivia.


    Silas didn''t understand anything. Human things, surely.


    ¡°Very well, Dahlia, if you call me Mantok.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Mantok, and, as for your question, yes, it''s my first time here.¡±


    ¡°And how have you found it so far?¡±


    ¡°Well, beautiful, and the people very friendly.¡±


    Silas agreed. From what little he had seen so far, it seemed to him that the Lake Tribe had a similar way of living to the chimeras, more in touch with nature, although his race had never founded villages, and moved from place to place. In contrast, the humans, for some strange reason, felt a pressing need to raise huge castles to enclose themselves inside them.


    ¡°I''m glad you think that way,¡± Mantok continued. ¡°Not everyone who comes from the outside has the same opinion. For some we live like animals, although I don''t take it as an offense,¡± he looked in Silas'' direction, and winked at him, which made the dog wonder if the old man hadn''t realized who he really was.


    But he seemed to be an ordinary human, so there was no danger.


    ¡°Are you excited about the festival?¡± Mantok asked.


    ¡°Oh, yes,¡± exclaimed Olivia overjoyed. ¡°I''ve wanted to come for years and finally got the chance.¡±


    ¡°I imagine your training must have taken you a long time. Where did you train?¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I understand that only the best wizards are accepted there.¡±


    It would be pretty strange for a dog to laugh, so Silas let out a simple snort that earned him a quick, indignant look from Olivia.


    ¡°No big deal...¡±, she said. ¡°And, tell me, Mantok, are there any sirenians in your family?¡±


    The man burst out laughing.


    ¡°You have no idea! Well, first off, I''ve been bound to a sirenian for more than forty years. Her name is Thalassa. You may have heard.¡±


    ¡°That''s a long time!¡±


    Mantok laughed again.


    For Silas the concept of union or marriage, as the humans called it, was alien. Chimeras didn''t bond that way. It was common for members of different packs to stay together for a while until they had children, which was the only goal of both parts. Once that was achieved, each would go their separate ways. The offspring were then raised by the mother and the rest of the members of her own pack.


    ¡°I had twelve children with her,¡± Mantok continued. ¡°Seven of them were born sirenians, and the other five humans like me. Most of them already have their own families. So far I have eighteen grandchildren and one on the way. You already met one of them, Zaagic. I also, of course, have several sirenian grandchildren. Of all my children, only the eldest joined a human who does not belong to the tribe, which is not very common here, although her daughter was also born sirenian.¡±


    ¡°And they all migrate north?" Olivia asked in amazement.¡±


    ¡°Everyone, from my wife to the youngest of my grandchildren.¡±


    ¡°I guess it can''t be easy.¡±


    ¡°Well, I miss them all, I can''t deny that, but I never feel alone. I have the rest of my children and grandchildren, as well as the rest of the tribe, and as head of the family I''m always busy solving all sorts of problems, even little quarrels.¡±


    ¡°It must be a beautiful family.¡±


    ¡°That''s right... Life has been generous to me... What about your family?¡±


    ¡°Ah... I''m an only child. My mother passed away, and I only have my father.¡±


    Silas seemed to sense a hint of sadness in Olivia''s voice, and no doubt Mantok sensed it too because, after a thoughtful moment, he said:


    ¡°I understand... Well, no wizard lives in our village yet, but there is always a first time. I am the family matchmaker, and I would be happy to get a sirenian for you... although if the solitude of winter is not to your liking, there are lots of humans to spare. Anyway, this is a close-knit community. No one is ever alone, really.¡±


    The girl looked at Mantok speechless at that unexpected proposal that had come out of nowhere.


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    Olivia bound to someone from the Lake Tribe? Please, Olivia could do better. Much better too than that stupid prince Silas had heard so much about.


    ¡°You''re a very pretty girl, you''ll have no problem starting a family,¡± insisted that bold old man.


    Silas would have liked to reply that her real face was no comparison to that hideous thing that the cheating elf had forced her to wear.


    But what the hell was happening to him? That day he had achieved something that seemed impossible until then. Why did he still feel so frustrated?


    ¡°Ah, I thank you...,¡± Olivia had been blushing more and more, as the man created a future for her with a husband and family included. ¡°But I must be on my way as soon as the festival is over.¡±


    ¡°I understand, it''s that time of year for you,¡± he winked. ¡°But since you have taken the trouble to come here, and you are curious about our ways of living, stay with us until the festival begins. Every year there is a performance of the legend of Terrarkana. Our brothers spend all winter rehearsing and creating the costumes. Now... how about lunch?¡±


    Silas pricked up his ears. He was starving.


    ¡°But... What about your stomach?¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Mantok waved a hand as if dismissing Olivia''s question. ¡°The pain is gone. You''ve been a great help.¡±


    ¡°But I didn''t do anything!¡± Olivia protested.


    But no matter how much pain he had been in before Silas arrived, the old man jumped up, and gestured for Olivia to follow him.


    He led the way through the crowded huts and the stream of people that increasingly filled the village. A hive of conversation, shouting and laughter surrounded them. It seemed as if the whole kingdom had gathered there. Fearing attention, Silas walked around clinging to Olivia''s tunic, acting as a faithful pet. However, to his relief, he didn''t notice any wizards nearby, and it seemed everyone was too focused on their own business to notice just an ordinary dog.


    After several minutes, the three arrived at an area where several people belonging to the tribe were finishing assembling what appeared to be a wooden platform over the water. Mantok explained to Olivia that this was where the performance would take place, an annual tradition, just before the Return of the Sirenians.


    ¡°And how do you know they will arrive tonight?¡± Olivia asked.


    Mantok pointed to one of the hills where a large bonfire was lit, which the night before they had mistaken for another of the many camps that had been set up around the village. It was a signal fire that four days before had been ignited indicating that the sirenians had passed through the Misty Dream Strait, which connected the Gulf of the Dancing Lights with the Free Sea. It was very likely that they would arrive that night.


    ¡°And... what if they don''t arrive?¡±


    Mantok laughed again at what seemed to be a bizarre question.


    ¡°Our calculations have never failed us. Although we also have messengers who travel the gulf coast following the route of the sirenians. Besides, they like to make an entrance, you''ll see.¡±


    Near the platform there was a group of people resting and eating around a small fire. Some giggling children were running around playing catch. Silas was overcome by the smell of fried egg, rye bread and smoked sausages.


    ¡°Nothing else on the menu, boys?¡± Mantok asked as he approached.


    ¡°Father!¡± a woman protested. ¡°Zaagic told us you''ve been feeling sick since breakfast. You shouldn''t eat any more now. Besides, the banquet...¡±


    ¡°Let me worry about that,¡± Mantok waved his hand, apparently a common gesture of his. ¡°But if you don''t want to feed me, then at least take care of my guests.¡±


    The group welcomed Olivia, as the curious children studied the strangers, and approached Silas to stroke his fur. He didn''t like the feeling of their small hands tickling behind his ears, but knew he had to put up with it. He had already learned his lesson about being patient with affectionate humans.


    One of the children had the idea of picking up a stick and throwing it in the water, hoping Silas would run to fetch it. He didn''t feel like getting wet, so he lay down on the floor. Olivia, seeing this, laughed, and told the children that he was probably hungry. That said, one of them ran off, and came back with a sausage which he placed right in front of Silas'' mouth, who devoured it ferociously. The other kids did the same again, and he ended up swallowing at least four more of those delicious treats.


    In the end, he had no choice but to play along in gratitude for the lunch, while Olivia chatted with the locals. Though it did him little good when he saw Mantok call a boy out of the crowd to introduce him to Olivia as one of his younger sons, very kind, determined and hard-working lad.


    The newcomer didn''t seem to dislike the idea at all, and in Silas'' eyes, his relaxed manners seemed most presumptuous, as if he already thought he could win Olivia over with his dumbass face.


    After a brief lunch, the group got back to work to continue preparations for the festival. Olivia volunteered to help by carrying boards and torches. Throughout the whole time, her smile never faded, as if working made her happy. Strange girl.


    Later two women led her to a hut. Silas left the tiresome children, and went after her. In the middle of the hut, stood two people whose faces were being painted. One was a woman in a long blue dress with her long red hair loose, while the other was a man with a black beard and long black hair tied in a tail. This one was very tall, about six feet tall. One of the women laughingly remarked that he was the only one in the tribe capable of playing the character of Yorgad.


    So, if that was Yorgad, the woman could be none other than the nymph Nemertyss.


    In another hut they entered a while later, he also caught a glimpse of some blond-haired elves, other giants, though not as tall but stout, sirenians painted from head to toe, with scales and blue-green fins, humans with simple armor made of metal plates strapped to arms and legs, and, finally, hybrids of all types, with masks of bulls, lions and wolves, others with horse and goat feet, and still others with eagle wings woven into the back of their attire.


    He saw neither the Blue Dragon nor any chimera, although he did see a group of women chattering on the deck of another hut, while they were giving the last stitches to some huge fabrics of various colors, where he guessed that several people were supposed to fit.


    In the midst of all the arrangements, the sun was falling fast among the hills, and with the last beams of light more and more people were approaching the area of the shore where the stage was now illuminated with the torches.


    Mantok had gone away for a while to return in a formal outfit, as did the rest of the other honorable chiefs of the tribe. Both men and women wore long white tunics with mantles of various colors hanging from their shoulders, as well as ceremonial headdresses of various designs, from which Silas concluded that they must represent the different families.


    Accompanied by Mantok, Olivia and Silas went to sit in one of the places with the best view, which was on one of the decks of one of the nearest huts. Actually, the old man had wanted to invite her to sit with the rest of the chiefs and their families, but Olivia had resisted, saying that it was too much. Silas guessed that she had also said that because it was not in their best interest to draw attention to themselves, as an Acolyte who was treated in a special way by one of the chiefs would surely do.


    Mantok, on the other hand, mistook Olivia''s fear for exemplary humility, very rare among magicians. Before turning to take his place, he added that he would be sure to get her the best of husbands.


    Olivia knew they couldn''t talk in front of all the people, but she addressed Silas in a low voice anyway:


    ¡°You sure have been laughing at my suffering all this time, haven''t you?¡±


    If he could have answered her, he still wouldn''t have told her the truth. He would have said yes, that he thought it was a most ridiculous situation, and that he had not stopped enjoying himself at her expense.


    It won''t be long now, Silas thought. Maybe after tonight he would never see her again, and he would stop feeling angry all the time.


    Why did that very thought not bring him relief but an early nostalgia?


    A large full moon had risen over the hills, and was reflected on the surface of the lake.


    ¡°An excellent sign for our brothers and sisters¡±, commented someone in the crowd.


    Silas looked at the group of chiefs gathered near the stage. They seemed to be waiting for something. After a few minutes, a man appeared running, and the listen attentively. When the man finished speaking, one of the chiefs made a hand gesture, and together with the rest of them sat down.


    At that signal, several men and women carrying drums began to gather near the stage. The immense audience, that until then had not let speak and shouted with impatience, immediately fell silent when they heard the first beats that resounded in the aire creating an expectation that was reflected in the astonished expressions of all those present. In a dark area, Silas spotted the actors who were about to go up to perform.


    To the empty stage, the first and only one to arrive by a long ladder connecting the platform to the shore, was one of the chiefs. In this case, it was a skinny, bald-headed man, who, after a regaining air, let out of his mouth a powerful voice that rose with authority and echoed throughout the lakeshore.


    ¡°Welcome, sisters, brothers, friends, visitors, some old and some new, coming even from remote areas of our graceful kingdom. Welcome to this unique night, in which the threads of time and space intertwine to transport us to the same origins of our ancient history. For weeks, while we eagerly await the arrival of the generous spring, our sisters and brothers have been preparing to joyfully welcome, like every year, our dear loved ones. In the calm of this sacred place, just a short distance from where our lord and creator, the Blue Dragon, rests, we gather here, humans of all origins, classes and trades, united by the same feeling, to share together this story passed down from generation to generation, an adventure full of courage, magic, pain, tears, guilt, but also forgiveness, fellowship, and love. The eternal struggle between light and darkness.¡±


    The man paused and a thunderous applause erupted from the audience, and it did not die down for several seconds until the drums were heard again. Beside him, Silas felt Olivia move anxiously, and tap her feet on the floor. He did not understand that enthusiasm, it was the same old story, which must have been told to her as many times as the elders of his pack had told it to him countless times.


    He returned his attention back to the stage, as the man started speaking again, a signal followed by the actors to move, thus beginning the telling of the legend of Terrarkana.

 Chapter 20 - The Legend of Terrarkana

    Nothing comes from nothing, my friends, and we are no exception.


    From the beginning of time we hear the story of a celestial race, travelers of the sky, who sailed the heavens from star to star, maintaining the balance and harmony of the cosmos. We have called these mysterious beings, innocent without malice, Eternals, and, as faithful companions, the Eternals also had another of the most powerful creatures that have ever existed: the Dragons.


    Even today, from time to time, if we observe the firmament attentively, we can see the trail of one of them crossing the skies, perhaps curiously observing this singular world of ours.


    Among the Eternals four of them stood out. The Four Brothers and their Dragons: Caldra and the Red Dragon, Sonis and the Yellow Dragon, Graund and the Green Dragon, and, the youngest of them, Tsuna and the Blue Dragon.


    Caldra was the eldest, the leader, the bold one, although he was also overprotective of his young brothers. Sonis was the wise one, the advisor, very serious for his brothers, who did not hesitate to tease him. Graund was the pacifist in fights, he liked to take things easy, while Tsuna was the mischievous one of the four, with a vibrant and playful personality, he was the most loved and the most protected by the others.


    They shared an unbreakable bond, a blind trust forged over millennia of service, adventures and challenges. No matter the distance, each would come to the call of his brothers.


    So it was that one day, when from the farthest corners of the Universe, while the four horsemen and their dragons were carrying out their own missions in different parts of the galaxy, the news reached them that a star had begun to expand, threatening to destroy everything in its path. The first to arrive were Sonis and Caldra, and the Yellow and Red Dragons, who tried to surround the star to contain the expansion and channel the energy with their own gigantic bodies. Then Ground and the Green Dragon arrived to help them and, at first, it seemed that they had succeeded, but the effort was devastating for them. The star released a final powerful explosion that absorbed the three brothers and their dragons.


    The young Tsuna was the last to arrive, and, although his body was on the verge of breaking with grief, he knew he had to fulfill his duty first. He managed to freeze the star in time, but for that he had to crash his body into it. He asked his companion, the Blue Dragon, to let him go alone. The Blue Dragon did not want to abandon his rider, but Tsuna asked him to make this last sacrifice, since his mission would be to rescue what was left of their bodies.


    And so did the Blue Dragon, the only survivor of that catastrophe from which the entire universe was saved.


    Blinded by sorrow, but determined to fulfill Tsuna''s last wish, the Blue Dragon collected the ashes of the four guardians and his three other beloved dragon companions.


    With those ashes the Blue Dragon molded a new world that was none other than our own.At first, the world was a gray and desolate place but the Blue Dragon began to fly over the land dropping tears from his eyes and scales sowing the seed. Those first drops fertilized the soil and gave life to the plants that would populate the prairies and forests of this new world that was born from the remains of those brave friends of his.


    However, the Blue Dragon was tired of so much sadness and thus, to protect this new creation, he molded the elves and giants from the earth, which gave birth to the first two clans: the Forest, ruled by King Willondal, and the Prairie, ruled by King Yorgad.


    For his rest, the Blue Dragon chose the bottom of a lake, whose guardian would be none other than the nymph Nemertyss, Lady of the Lake, the only one with the power to awaken him.


    Although very different races, for millennia, the Prairie, the Forest and the Lake lived in peace and there was nothing that could change that. Its inhabitants were free to come and go as they pleased and, once a year, the three rulers had the custom of gathering at the lake to pay their respects to the Blue Dragon.


    This new world had become the legacy of the love, dedication and sacrifice of those who came from the stars.


    However, every life is a story, and every story has an ending.


    After centuries and centuries of friendship, perhaps feeling the weight of their own immortality, King Yorgad and the Lady of the Lake, Nemertyss, fell in love. But they both knew that their love could not be possible, for Nemertyss could not leave her place as Guardian of the Lake. So, as proof of his love, Yorgad gave up his throne to his heir, and decided to go and live with the nymph.


    This was not seen with good eyes by King Willondal, in whose mind dark thoughts began to arise, whispers that during the night told him that the only thing Yorgad wanted was to steal the power of the Blue Dragon with the help of Nemertyss.


    Willondal, tormented, confessed his fears before Nemertyss and Yorgad, who also did not wish to lose the friendship of the elf, so he made a second sacrifice, and gave up his power of creation, ceding it to another of the giants who would become his heir, and swearing that he would never leave the lake and would share, also as guardian, the duties of Nemertyss.


    This seemed to appease Willondal.


    The happy couple decided to celebrate their wedding on the shores of this same lake where we sit today admiring its beauty. The party was attended by all the elves and giants of this land and for several days and sleepless nights they continued to celebrate with music, dancing and laughter.


    However, on the last night before bidding farewell to the guests and beginning their life together, Nemertyss woke up next to Yorgad, pale as snow and lifeless.


    It was never known who was responsible. The elves denied it, saying that it would have been a giant jealous of Yorgad, while the giants defended themselves, claiming that it had been the elves, fearful of the giants. They even went so far as to accuse Nemertyss of having fallen in love with someone else. But Nemertyss, overwhelmed by indescribable pain, turned her body into foam, and dissolved into the waters of the lake.


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    The death of Yorgad unleashed the war between the Prairie and the Forest. Willondal, knowing that he would not stand a chance against the unbeatable strength of the giants, decided to use his power of creation, a gift that, like Yorgad, had been granted to him by the Blue Dragon on the condition that he used it wisely.


    Willondal''s desperation led him to create an army never seen before: the hybrids, creatures born from the fusion of forest elves and animals.


    The hybrids emerged from the forest like a ferocious and merciless swarm, and attacked the Prairie Clan by surprise. Nothing like it had ever been seen before: taurines wielding maces and axes and cleaving through their enemies, leonines and werewolves swiftly reaching their victims with ease, and killing them with their claws and fangs, centaurs wielding swords and spears while rushing at a gallop, fauns firing arrows relentlessly and preparing traps in the thicket and harpies swooping down from the air and throwing stones over the heads of those who tried to flee.


    Faced with such an immense number of adversaries, the giants had no choice but to retreat to the deepest regions of the mountains, where it was said that an immense volcano had sprouted from the ashes of the Red Dragon.


    The new giant king, determined to strike back with the same strategy but with an even more devastating force, aspired to create a weapon so lethal that it could rival the strength of a dragon. With the power of the volcano and the bodies of his fallen brothers, the giant king shaped a colossal creature, with the head and body of a lion, the horns of a goat, the wings of a dragon and the tail of a serpent: the chimera.


    The giant king and his subjects mounted the chimeras and launched a devastating attack against the Forest. This time, the hybrids were not enough to face the power of the chimeras who fought with unmatched ferocity and strength, making the hybrids look like nothing more than mere ants. Their lion heads raged with an earth-shaking roar, and their powerful jaws could tear apart any adversary in their path. The goat horns were sharp weapons that pierced armor and shields, while their dragon wings allowed them to fly and attack from the air with surprising agility. The snake tail was a deadly tool, capable of poisoning and suffocating opponents with its lethal venom.


    Thus, in the midst of burning forests and devastated prairies, the Blue Dragon awoke from its ancestral lethargy, emerging from the lake to find a desolate scene and the disappearance of his guardian.


    After so many millennia, drowned in pain that kept repeating itself, the Blue Dragon let out a roar that echoed throughout the world. The sky split with the power and flashes of lightning, and dark clouds quickly formed. Over the corpses and the still-fighting combatants, a storm raged for days on end, covering the land completely and leaving few places to take shelter except the mountain peaks and a few scattered islands.


    However, it was not the Dragon''s desire to seek revenge. Using the power of creation, he gave life to the sirenians, sea creatures of infinite vivacity and compassion, whose mission would be to lead the survivors of the war to safe places of refuge and hope, where they could heal their wounds and start anew.


    Once the purifying waters swept the battlefields, cleansing the land of discord and suffering, and after slaying both kings with his own claws, hope was reborn in the heart of the Dragon. The next step was to free both hybrids and chimeras from slavery, for they had been nothing more than pawns of the now dead kings.


    However, freedom came with a price for all races, what is known today as the Seal or, for some, the Curse of the Dragon. From that moment on, no magical being would be able to attack another without suffering terrible consequences, and thus ensured that the races learned to live in harmony and mutual respect, always remembering the price of discord and war.


    The hybrids decided to take refuge on a new large island that today we know as the Island of Demons, far from the other races. In the case of the chimeras the Dragon forced them to lose their original form, but allowed them to take different animal forms.


    The elves and giants were allowed to keep their territories, now decimated by the new sea, which still remained after the Great Flood, and would be home to the newly created sirenians who would swim free for any flow of water.


    However, if the first two clans wanted to keep their immortality, they had to give up the power of creation, and not cross each other''s borders.


    Thus the Five Clans were born: the Forest Clan, the Prairie Clan, the Lake Clan, the Mountain Clan, and the Island Clan.


    Using all that remained of his life force, the Dragon made one last effort and created the Elementals, the new protectors of nature, innocent beings without malice, as the Eternals.


    With this last action, he returned to the bottom of the lake from where he never woke up again.


    This ushered in a new era of peace, though not without resentment. The Forest and Prairie clans could no longer leave their territory without losing their immortality. They could not attack each other, but neither could they live together as in the old days.


    As the centuries passed, the giants began to forget the severity of the Blue Dragon''s orders and asked themselves why the should obbey the Blue Dragon, if he no longer intended to awaken.


    However, their attempted attacks were immediately repelled, not by the elves, but by the Elementals. With their power, the Elementals let the land where the giants lived die, and caused a drought that turned the prairie into a desert never seen before.


    And so, the mighty giants succumbed to the power of the Elementals, leaving the way clear for the Elves. In their eagerness to expand their forests, the Elves began to plant more trees, helped even by the Elementals, who saw nothing wrong with it.


    Ah, but no one imagined what would happen next.


    Before the Dragon returned to the lake, he had looked for his servant Nemertyss. He found her still in the middle of the ocean, turned to foam. Moved by her grief, perhaps remembering his own after seeing his companions die, the Dragon returned Nemertyss to her original form, and led her to a distant land where she could heal her wounds and mourn her lost love.


    There Nermetyss, who had always kept a lock of her beloved''s hair, asked her lord for one last wish: that he would allow her to use the power of creation one last time to create with her own blood and the hair of her beloved, a new race that for her would be like the children that both husband and wife had dreamed of raising together.


    The Dragon did not have the heart to deny her, and agreed to this request.


    That is how Nemertyss created the first humans.


    Humans who would then multiply and expand throughout all the territories they reached.


    Humans worshipers of the Nemertyss Nymph who taught them to work the land and conquer the fire, before turning to the sea and becoming foam once again.


    Humans who over the centuries would follow in the footsteps of their giant ancestors and discover the northern islands until they reached the new continent now called Terrarkana.


    As we all know, the encounter between humans and elves was not easy, but, with the help of the sirenians, who opened their arms and hearts to the newcomers, began a new era in which the history of this land would open a new chapter of fraternity.


    The humans founded their new kingdom on the ancient territory of the giants and their capital Nemertya, in honor of Nemertyss, where the river Yorgad crosses, and, somehow, the lovers have embraced once again.

 Chapter 21 - The Return of the Sirenians

    When the narrator finished the story, the entire audience stood up and applauded the impressive performance they had witnessed, as if the legend of Terrarkana and all its characters had come to life in front of them.


    Even after the spectacle was over, the four gigantic dragons, as well as the chimeras, which were nothing more than cloths that took shape with the movements of the people hiding underneath them, continued to meander through the crowd, making the children laugh, especially those who played at chasing the legendary creatures.


    Once the applause died down, Olivia caught the conversation of two old men talking next to her.


    ¡°As usual, he has left things untold,¡± observed one of them, disappointed, apparently referring to the chief who had officiated as narrator.


    ¡°Recent history, brother,¡± replied the other, in a conciliatory tone. ¡°He does not want our tales to reach the ears of the elves.¡±


    ¡°Brother, it''s been a hundred years.¡±


    The other laughed softly.


    ¡°For the elves that''s nothing.¡±


    ¡°He didn''t even mention the pirates.¡±


    ¡°They don''t care about such things.¡±


    ¡°Nor the hunting of the chimeras.¡±


    ¡°So what? As long as there are no chimeras around, we have nothing to worry about.¡±


    Olivia felt Silas'' body move next to her, but she could no longer hear the rest of the talk because suddenly the drums beat again, this time with a slower rhythm than before. All the torches went out, and the lakeshore was plunged into complete darkness.


    A deep silence fell over the expectant audience. Each new beat of the drums sounded like a collective heartbeat, and the tension grew as the minutes ticked by, as if everyone present was holding their breath.


    Olivia, like everyone else, stared out into the far side of the lake, black as night. She didn''t know how long she stood like that, until a child''s scream was heard:


    ¡°There! They''re coming!¡±


    People began to move to get a better view of what was happening. Olivia felt her heart stop when she saw the first glimmer in the water. It was a small flickering light that rose from the depths like a lone star. It began to circle pointlessly across the dark surface. Then it disappeared again for a few seconds and, when it emerged, new lights returned with it.


    The drums continued to beat, and with each beat more and more lights began to emerge. As they got closer they became more playful, like golden butterflies playing chase.Suddenly there were so many lights that it seemed as if the sky had reversed and the stars had come down to play in the waters of the lake.


    When they reached the stone promontory that marked the tomb, the lights began to rotate around it, forming a luminous ring.


    A scream was heard from the water followed by a deep voice that began to sing and then was joined by other voices from all the tenors that formed a chorus that emitted a complex and beautiful harmony. Olivia could not understand what they were saying, but the singing transported her to another time, before humans, when magical creatures roamed free everywhere.


    Just as they had appeared, the lights in the water faded, and the voices quieted. Deafening applause erupted from the audience. The torches slowly flared up again, and Olivia could see the chiefs and other members of the tribe walk onto the shore.


    And there she saw them. The Sirenians.


    They were emerging from the water. There were countless of them.


    Olivia started running towards the shore to get a closer look at them, followed from behind by Silas. She had to force her way through the crowd, but eventually she made it.


    They were beautiful, slender creatures. Each seemed to have a different skin color. Some were dark green, others red, blue, violet, yellow, orange, all shades. Their scales emitted a glow similar to what she had seen shining in the water. Their hair was long, abundant and black, falling like a cascade of loops over their shoulders and back.


    What impressed her most were their limbs. As they waved with their hands their fingers were shown joined by membranes that surely made it easier for them to swim. When some of them turned, she caught a glimpse of their dorsal fins. From the waist down, they had a fish tail whose powerful fins, to Olivia''s amazement, were transforming as the sirenians left the water behind and took on their terrestrial form. The fish tail split and was replaced by two long, muscular human legs. Their hands became normal, and their skin lost its scales and some of its iridescence, while their colors became dark. Even so, they maintained a bright aura that made them stand out from the rest of the humans.


    And they were naked, Olivia realized too late to look away and forget everything she had seen. The giggling sirenians didn''t seem to mind, as the rest of the members of the tribe reached for shirts and tunics to put on over them.


    On the shore sirenians and humans embraced and kissed. Some were couples, others were entire families. A group of green-scaled children emerged from the water leaping like happy little fish behind their parents.


    ¡°Ah, Acolyte Dahlia!¡± Mantok shouted.


    Olivia turned around to find the happy old man wrapping an arm around the waist of a woman who was more than a head taller than him. Her skin was dark and her black, frizzy hair no longer shone as it did in the water but in the torchlight took on a golden hue. Her eyes expressed warmth, and her wide mouth was smiling from ear to ear, competing with her partner''s happy smile. She was not young, but neither did she look like the grandmother of a great offspring.


    ¡°Didn''t I tell you that they like to make their entrance? May I present my dear Thalassa!¡± said Mantok.


    ¡°A... a pleasure... I...¡± Olivia suddenly realized she had lost sight of Silas. She turned her head to look for him, but couldn''t find him. Perhaps he had stayed away, so as not to attract the attention of the sirenians.


    ¡°And they are all my children and grandchildren!¡± he pointed to the ten or so sirenians who were hugging the rest of their families. ¡°You''ll meet them all! You''re invited to our family dinner, of course!¡±


    ¡°But I...¡± Olivia didn''t have time to talk to Silas about how to proceed once they were in front of the sirenians, although it seemed to her that meeting Mantok''s family might be the first step.


    ¡°She''s a very beautiful young woman, Mantok,¡± Thalassa said suddenly, and pinched her partner''s cheek. ¡°You didn''t find yourself a new woman while I was gone, did you?¡±


    ¡°If you start bothering me like that, I''ll do it!¡±


    ¡°You grumpy old man!¡±


    ¡°Father!¡± two women, very similar to Thalassa, wrapped in loose robes, approached and embraced Mantok.


    ¡°Ah, if it isn''t my Yaritza, and my Numi!¡± Mantok wrapped his thick arms around them, and they stayed that way for long seconds.


    ¡°Where is my father?¡± asked the younger sirenia as she let him go.


    Mantok scratched his head.


    ¡°Now that you ask... I haven''t seen him,¡± he shook his hand. ¡°He should be here any minute.¡±


    ¡°But he''s always here waiting for us!¡± she protested.


    ¡°Calm down, Numi¡± the other sirenian put her hand on her shoulder. ¡°Something must have happened to him, he''ll be here soon.¡±


    ¡°In the meantime, I introduced you to Acolyte Dahlia Silas. This morning she saved me from dying,¡± said Mantok, as if to get out of trouble. ¡°Dahlia, these are my daughter Yaritza and my granddaughter Numi.¡±


    The three women stared wide-eyed at Olivia as Mantok exaggerated the episodes of that day.Numi hugged Olivia so tightly that she almost lost her breath.


    ¡°Thank you so much, thank you so much, for saving my grandfather!¡± when they stepped apart, she studied her from head to toe. ¡°But you even look my age! Then we''ll be friends from now on! You''ll tell me all about your travels in the kingdom, and I''ll tell you stories of the sea! I''ve always wanted to visit the inland!¡±


    And with that said, the sirenian grabbed Olivia''s arm, and dragged her away just like that.


    Meanwhile, other members of the family had approached and, after another round of affectionate greetings, the large group continued to walk among the crowd, until they returned to the big family hut near where they had built a fire.


    The twelve children of Mantok and Thalassa, plus all the grandchildren of all ages, stood around it. Some of the humans had already been preparing what would be that night''s dinner, a variety of fish, vegetables and fruits.


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    Numi had Olivia sit with the rest of her cousins, including Zaagic. She seemed to be the oldest. The young sirenian girls were very struck by the fact that there was a wizard visiting them, and kept asking questions. Mantok would jump into the conversation by referring to Olivia''s non-existent healing skills, and the girl couldn''t help blushing, praying to herself that no one would ask her to do a magic demonstration.


    ¡°Numi!¡± exclaimed one of her cousins, who was about eight years old. ¡°Tonight I will beat you!¡±


    ¡°Never!¡± Numi replied, and the others began to tease her.


    Then they explained to Olivia that it was a tradition to stay up that first night to wait for the sunrise. In recent years, Numi had always come out the victor, something her human cousins could not stand, as she should have arrived tired from her long journey across the sea.


    ¡°I have a lot of stamina!¡± Numi boasted, flexing one arm to show off her muscles.


    ¡°Numi!¡± another little human cousin tugged at her robe. ¡°Did you meet any handsome boys?¡±


    ¡°No one, none of them came close to me,¡± Numi folded her arms and the rest of the sirenians rolled their eyes.


    ¡°Not even a pirate?¡± asked another cousin.


    ¡°Pirates have horrible faces. And you, Dahlia, do you have any boys waiting for you in your town?¡±


    ¡°No, no... I don''t,¡± Olivia replied with shyness.


    ¡°I''m sure my grandfather has already made you an offer, but don''t listen to him,¡± she pounded her fist on her chest. ¡°The best thing to do is to take care of it yourself, as I plan to do. Although I haven''t met anyone worth kidnapping yet.¡±


    Olivia looked surprised.


    ¡°Do sirenians kidnap men?¡±


    She said it in such an innocent tone that the sirenians, and the rest of the humans couldn''t hold back their laughter for quite a while.


    ¡°Actually, we don''t kidnap anyone,¡± said one of Mantok''s eldest daughters, Numi''s aunt, once she caught her breath. ¡°That was my sister Yaritza''s doing. She is to blame for our bad reputation.¡±


    ¡°My mother got herself a very handsome man that way!¡± Numi defended her. ¡°And I''ll do the same someday!¡±


    ¡°Many women would like to be kidnapped by me!¡± exclaimed one of the sirenian men, and received pieces of food that the others threw at him in response.


    ¡°To love sirenians means to respect their freedom! And not many humans outside the tribe are willing!¡± said another.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Numi shouted.


    Yaritza, who was at the other end of the campfire, asked her daughter what she wanted.


    ¡°Tell Dahlia how you kidnapped Papa!¡±


    That request triggered a new burst of laughter.


    ¡°Well, if you insist,¡± with much grace and playfulness Yaritza walked towards the group, fixing the cloak she was wearing over her shoulders. ¡°One day I was enjoying the waves on a sunny day, minding my own business, when suddenly I saw a ship with Her Majesty''s flag passing by, and on it was a sad young man, although his sadness did not dim his beautiful eyes.¡±


    The young sirenians gave each other complicit glances.


    ¡°Papa says that you always knew he was on the ship, and that you had been following him for a long time,¡± said his daughter, and then winked at Olivia.


    Yaritza put her hand to her forehead in a gesture that simulated indignation.


    ¡°Slander! I didn''t know anything. The fact is that I got to the boat, and, as I wanted to get a closer look at his eyes, I grabbed some nets and ropes hanging from the boat, and climbed up to the deck. We had a brief conversation... and... one thing led to another and he fell into the water by accident.¡±


    ¡°By accident!¡± laughed one of Yaritza''s sisters.


    ¡°By accident! And then... well, I rescued him, I took him to an island...¡±


    ¡°And why not back to the ship if you just wanted to rescue him?¡± asked another of his brothers.


    ¡°Well, because otherwise I wouldn''t have had him all to myself for all those days...¡±


    Whistles and more laughter did not wait to be heard. Yaritza raised both arms.


    ¡°And I won''t say more because there are children present!¡±


    The others began to protest in disappointment.


    ¡°Leave Yaritza alone!¡± Thalassa decreed. ¡°Had she not done what she did,¡± she approached Numi and planted both hands on her cheeks. ¡°We would not have our dear and precious Numi among us,¡± she kissed her granddaughter''s forehead.


    The whole family agreed, and the dinner continued more quietly.


    ¡°Acolyte Dahlia,¡± Thalassa approached Olivia. ¡°Can you come with me? There is something I need to discuss with you.¡±


    Olivia suddenly felt nervous. She had been noticing for a while that, from the other side of the campfire, Thalassa kept watching her with a calm smile.


    The sirenian matriarch began to walk along the shore away from her family. Olivia followed her, and they did not stop until they reached an area free of huts from where she could barely hear the voices of the rest.


    Thalassa folded her arms and turned to face Olivia. She hadn''t lost her cool, but her lips no longer conveyed the same initial warmth.


    ¡°Perhaps you have your reasons but... I can''t help but notice the artifact hanging under your tunic.¡±


    She was talking about the talisman. Olivia put a hand to her chest out of instinct.


    ¡°What a wizard does is none of my business, unless that wizard is carrying an elven stone that she is using to deceive my family and...¡±


    ¡°I didn''t mean to!¡± Olivia lowered her head. ¡°I just wanted to disguise myself. The encounter with Mantok was by chance. I meant no harm. I''m just passing through.¡±


    ¡°What is your real name?¡±


    ¡°That... I cannot tell you...¡±


    Thalassa took a deep breath. It seemed she was not used to being denied.


    ¡°I see no malice in you, but I cannot tolerate being tricked, let alone involving my family, and even misleading my innocent granddaughters...¡±


    ¡°I only wanted to ask for the help of the sirenians.¡±


    Thalassa raised her eyebrows.


    ¡°What help could a wizard possibly need from us? Unless it has to do with the Dragon, so I''m sorry to say...¡±


    ¡°It''s because of me,¡± Silas'' voice was heard behind them, and they both turned to find the black dog emerging from the darkness. ¡°She''s helping me.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± Thalassa''s eyes widened as if they wanted to absorb all the moonlight. ¡°I thought my senses had atrophied with age. I had been feeling a strange presence since we returned, I dared not believe it, and in the end... it turned out to be you... for real.¡±


    ¡°You... you know?¡± Olivia asked.


    ¡°We sirenians can detect another magical being. My family must have done it too, but they must have been just as confused as I was.... It is an honor. Welcome to the lake, brother chimera,¡± Thalassa bowed her head, and Olivia was surprised to see that Silas, for the first time since she had known him, bowed his head as well in respect.


    ¡°A human and a chimera,¡± Thalassa said thoughtfully and looked at Olivia again. ¡°I wonder what the story is.¡±


    Without revealing her true identity, Olivia went ahead of Silas to explain that he was forced to flee from the mountains, pursued by a group of wizards, and she was now helping him to travel to the Isle of Demons.


    ¡°I can''t imagine what could be the reason that pushed you away from your home, brother,¡± Thalassa told him. ¡°But if you can''t go back there, then, yes, the island is your best option. The hybrids will welcome you with open arms.¡±


    ¡°Can you help him then?¡± Olivia asked.


    ¡°I think we can, as long as everything is done in secret, of course, but for that I will have to gather several sirenians... and tonight is a celebration. It would be very complicated to explain. Perhaps tomorrow, when everything is calmer and the visitors have left the lake...¡± Thalassa turned to Silas. ¡°In the meantime, feel free to join us. The rest of the sirenians in my family will say nothing. They will see you arrive with me, and understand that you are under my protection. Tonight we celebrate our return and the visit of a race that has not set foot on these grounds for a century.¡±


    Olivia looked at Silas who seemed to be convinced by Thalassa''s words.


    The three of them walked back to the campfire together.


    ¡°It is very noble what you are doing, Acolyte,¡± commented Thalassa a few steps before they arrived, and were greeted again by the others who asked them what they had been doing all this time.


    As the elderly woman said, none of the other sirenians mentioned anything. Olivia noticed how Numi and the others watched Silas curiously. Thalassa just nodded to them, and they all nodded in response having understood the message.


    ¡°Ah!¡± exclaimed Mantok, and reached over to stroke Silas'' head. ¡°Here is our companion Shadow again. Have some fish, my friend.¡±


    The little ones couldn''t help but approach and pet him too. Thalassa told them to leave him alone, but the chimera didn''t seem to mind the attention, and started running around with the laughing children, as he chased them and gently tugged at their clothes with his teeth.


    Numi returned to sit next to Olivia. The young sirenian seemed determined that they should be friends.


    ¡°What a strange thing,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°You mean...?¡± Olivia omitted the last word.


    ¡°Ah, no, no,¡± Numi laughed. ¡°I''ve seen stranger things. I once encountered a Kraken,¡± she stretched out her arms trying to give an image of the portentous sea beast before continuing. ¡°What I wanted to say was that every time I see you I feel a strange sensation, as if I knew you from somewhere else.¡±


    Perhaps it was the talisman, Olivia thought, but Numi must not have possessed the same abilities as her grandmother to recognize the deception. Though she also couldn''t deny that there were features in the sirenian that seemed familiar, but she wasn''t sure why.


    Dinner continued for a few more hours. Some of the human and sirenian couples had begun kissing, and retreated to their huts followed by the whistles of the others. Olivia couldn''t see the reflection of her face, but it must have been red hot.


    The younger ones began to retire wearily. Every time one of them said goodbye Numi couldn''t help but brag that she would again be the winner of the night. She had told Olivia to join her to share the victory together, but her new friend''s eyes felt heavy as they were about to close. Mantok with a mischievous smile kept filling her glass with juice from a very sweet fruit they harvested nearby.


    Although she also didn''t want to lose any of the sirenians'' anecdotes that spoke of their encounters with pirates and sailors from other lands who had tried to capture them.


    ¡°And when the sailors come closer, we start singing in a horrible way, like imitating seagulls!¡± Numi told. ¡°So they think we''re monsters who are going to eat them! Some of them even tie themselves to the mast because they think we want to drown them!¡±


    ¡°But the pirates are really annoying! They never stop flirting!¡± complained another of her cousins.


    ¡°And they''re always drunk!¡± added Numi.


    ¡°Which drunk man has been bothering my daughter? I''m going to punish him immediately!¡± said a man''s voice approaching from the lake shore.


    It couldn''t be, thought Olivia, who felt as if those words were digging into the middle of her chest.


    ¡°Papa!¡± cried Numi, who ran out to hug the newcomer. ¡°What took you so long?¡±


    Olivia''s back was turned to him, but she had no doubts about what she had heard. She looked over at Silas, who was resting next to her, having collapsed exhausted after playing with the children.


    He lifted his head, and looked in the man''s direction. Then he turned his eyes back to her. She couldn''t guess his expression, but she was sure he was as surprised as she was.


    Olivia felt as if her heart would burst out of her chest at any moment. Very slowly, she turned around, asking all the deities in heaven to be wrong.


    That was no use. When she could finally see his face, he was so content, smiling, happy and relaxed, as she had rarely seen him in her life.


    Numi''s father was none other than her own father.


    Lord Alaric, Count of Shadowrock was wrapping both arms around Numi''s body, and pressed her to his chest like the most precious thing in existence. Without letting go of her, he looked up to look at the rest of those present, as if searching for someone, perhaps Yaritza, but his eyes, until that moment narrowed, snapped open as he looked at Olivia, as if a ghost or the Blue Dragon himself had appeared to him.


    He turned away from Numi very quickly, and the sirenian looked at him confused, not understanding his reaction.


    But Olivia was in disguise, he couldn''t recognize her. Perhaps what caught her father''s attention was her resemblance to Daephennya.


    ¡°Olivia, the talisman...¡±


    That was Silas'' voice, who, also startled, had forgotten that he wasn''t supposed to speak.


    Olivia put a hand to her chest, and pulled out the talisman, now glowless. It had gotten lost its effect.


    The girl looked around, and all the faces reflected the same surprise back to her.


    In front of all the stunned people present stood a completely different girl than the one they had met that night, next to a black dog that now happened to be talking.

 Chapter 22 - The boy and the sirenian

    ¡°Wake up, you useless boy! I should have made you ride a horse like the rest of them! You fool!¡±


    Alaric woke up with a pain in his head, a consequence of the blow his father had just given him. He would have wanted to ride too, but Barthra had told the Count that it was too soon for his son''s body. He had to take things slowly if he hoped to be able to hold a sword someday.


    The boy had always been sick during the winter, but that one in particular had been worse. They had thought he would not survive. His father had even searched for names of young noblewomen to marry and produce another heir. If he hadn''t already done so it was because, if Alaric ended up living, he wanted to save himself future fights between successors.


    There was very little Alaric could do to annoy his father, like that time he had fallen asleep inside the carriage again.


    ¡°When this trip is over, and we return to the castle, you will begin your training once and for all! I''d rather you die fighting and leave me without an heir than have a weak one like you!¡±


    As soon as he jumped to the ground, Alaric felt dizzy, but, if he didn''t want to receive another punch, he had to keep his composure and follow with his head held high behind his father, who began to descend towards the shore of the lake, where some of the chiefs were waiting for them before the ceremony.


    The previous days they had visited Serenity Glade to introduce him to the Lady of the Whispering Forest who received the future Count very kindly, and even allowed him to walk through the interior of the Great Blue Willow up to the highest treetops.


    ¡°He is a very handsome little man, Your Excellency,¡± the beautiful elf had said. ¡°I have no doubt that he will grow up healthy and strong to become a great Guardian of the Circle, as you have been.¡±


    Alaric had always been told that elves were noble creatures who never exaggerated in their words, so when the elf spoke that way about him he felt very proud. Even his father had put a hand on his shoulder, as he thanked the lady''s words and behaved like the father he was far from being.


    They were now visiting the lake to participate in the Return of the Sirenians, which was a tradition for the Guardian of the Circle. When that was over, they would continue west to introduce him to the twin elves, brothers of Daephennya, both rulers of the Memory Forest and the Mirror Forest. After that, they would continue their tour visiting castles of other nobles until they arrived to the capital and participate in the celebrations of the anniversary of the king''s coronation.


    Barthra had warned him that it would be a long trip, and had hidden among his luggage some bottles with potions that would help him keep his strength up. The boy didn''t like to take them, because he didn''t want to depend on them, but the healer had hit the mark. Every time he took them, he felt better, and that meant one less scolding from his father.


    ¡°Be patient, young master, someday you will be so strong that you will remember this time as if it had been a dream,¡± Barthra had comforted him.


    But for Alaric time was no longer passing. That year would be his tenth birthday, and he had not yet begun his sword training. Since he was born, he had spent almost his entire existence in bed, comforted by reading his books and the presence of Barthra and his friends Cormac and Leander.


    ¡°My Lord, are you all right?¡± asked Cormac, who had noticed the paleness of his face. The young red-haired and freckled squire was barely a year older than him, and the Count had requested his family to become his companion. They got along well, but Alaric sometimes found him tedious, because he was so formal with him and followed the Count''s rules to the letter. It would have been more fun to have gone with Leander, but as an Initiate of the Order he was forbidden to leave the castle, unless Eldrin allowed him to, and the old wizard would never do so even to please his young master.


    Alaric gestured for Cormac to leave him alone. He hadn''t meant to be abrupt, but if he opened his mouth he would vomit up the lunch the elves had served him that day.


    He distracted himself by watching his father, who was chatting with the chiefs in a way he was rarely seen. Outside the castle, the Count was known as a jovial person who went out of his way to ensure the safety of everyone in the Circle. Inside the castle was a different story. Everyone feared him, and even Eldrin was careful not to arouse his anger.


    Now he laughed and joked with the chiefs just like that, and they patted him on the back as an equal. He turned around to call Alaric with a gesture, and the boy was introduced to the chiefs who were quick to shake his short black hair saying that he and the Count were like two peas in a pod.


    May the Nymph wish that wasn''t true, Alaric thought.


    One of the chiefs pointed out a group of children from the tribe. His father allowed him to play with them, though not without first giving him a warning look. Cormac accompanied him as usual, and they spent some time with the children although it was the squire who participated in the games of stick fighting and running, while Alaric sat on a rock on the shore watching them. When the rest of the children were far away and no one noticed him, he hid behind the rock and finally threw up everything he had in his stomach. At least that made him feel better, and allowed him to endure the rest of the day, until the night when the Sirenians finally arrived.


    Alaric felt happy that night as he watched in wonder at the lights moving across the water. He was sure for the first time that his life was being set in motion.


    When the Sirenians arrived at the shore, his father advanced to the newcomers, to pay his respects, especially to the chiefess Thalassa, who was one of the most respected sirenians of the tribe. She was a beautiful woman who could have rivaled Daephenny''s beauty, though while the elf emanated a white glow, the sirenian''s radiance was of intoxicating warmth.


    Behind Thalassa was a sirenian girl hugging her legs and looking at him curiously. He did not pay much attention to her nor did they tell him her name so, as they continued to greet others of the sirenians, he forgot about her until the next day.


    Alaric was the first to wake up. After a long and festive sleepless night all the members of the party, including the Count, were snoring inside the tents they had set up near the village. He never had a chance to be alone, so he decided to take advantage of the occasion and very stealthily left the tent he shared with Cormac to go down the hill and back to the shore.


    He had found the lake beautiful from the first moment, and the rocky promontory where the dragon''s grave was located attracted his attention. He sat on the sand watching it carefully, wondering what it would be like in the depths.


    So distracted was he that he didn''t notice the same girl from the night before sitting next to him.


    ¡°Would you like to go there?¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Alaric jumped at the sound of her voice and the girl giggled. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°If you''d like to go there.¡±


    ¡°There?¡±


    The girl laughed again.


    ¡°The tomb, silly.¡±


    ¡°But I can''t...¡±


    ¡°With the help of a sirenian you could.¡±


    ¡°And who...?¡±


    ¡°Well, me, silly!¡± she patted him on the head, which had nothing to do with his father''s punches, although Alaric couldn''t help but instinctively back away. ¡°My name is Yaritza, and you?¡±


    ¡°Alaric.¡±


    ¡°Alaric...¡± the girl said his name slowly as if pondering something. ¡°I like it, Alaric, it suits you.¡±


    ¡°Your name... it''s not bad either...¡±


    The girl laughed again and Alaric felt warmth in his cheeks.


    ¡°Well then, do you want to go?¡±


    ¡°But... I''ll die...¡±


    Actually Alaric had been told that any human could visit the tomb, as long as he was helped by a sirenian, but in his case he wasn''t sure, because if he could barely ride a horse he doubted he could last that long underwater.


    That thought made him depressed. He was so pathetic.


    ¡°How sad you look. I''d better call you Shadow. It''s very appropriate, considering where you come from.¡±


    ¡°What did you say...?¡±


    ¡°Come, Shadow, I''ll show you,¡± very determined, she took his hand, and made him rise from the ground, as if Alaric weighed no more than a leaf, which made him feel ridiculous.


    They went into the shore until the water reached their knees.


    ¡°And your parents let you go to the tomb?¡± Alaric asked, trying to find an excuse not to look so cowardly.


    ¡°If you don''t tell them, it won''t be a problem.¡±


    So she didn''t have permission, but she was going to disobey them anyway!


    ¡°Very well,¡± said the girl, getting ready to dive in. ¡°The first thing is this...¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Yaritza wrapped her hands around Alaric''s face and placed her lips on his.


    The boy, shocked, jumped back at once, feeling his head burning.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± asked furious.


    ¡°It''s part of the dive... Where are you going?¡±


    Alaric didn''t wait for her to finish explaining. For the first time in his life his feet felt strong enough to run up the hill, and he didn''t stop until he reached the camp. He never quite understood why he did it. When he arrived to the tent he threw himself on his bed in exhaustion. Cormac had already gotten up, and was startled when he saw him come in.


    After that he had a hard time getting up, and his impulsive running cost him a few lashes from his father.


    He spent a whole year regretting what he had done, but not because of his father''s violence, but because he had lost the opportunity to visit the Dragon''s tomb for being such a coward. Although in reality the tomb did not matter to him at all. He could not stop thinking about Yaritza and her lips resting on his.


    But surely for her it had been nothing. Maybe she''d already done it with too many boys, he thought disheartened.


    After that first tour around the kingdom, and once they returned to the castle, he began his training, which was as arduous as his father had promised him, reaching the point of almost dropping dead from exhaustion and having to spend days in bed with pains in every muscle of his body.


    Barthra was the only one who was not afraid to reproach the Count for his methods of upbringing, but this time Alaric did not allow her to defend him, and disobeyed the advice of the healer, whom he considered like his own mother. He needed to become stronger or die trying. Only then would he be able to meet Yaritza again and look her in the face.


    The following months seemed to last forever, especially the winter, the end of which would mark the departure to the lake to meet the sirenians again. They repeated the same route, first visiting the elf lady, who again invited him to her great home, and even allowed Alaric to study several books from her select library. Although Alaric was no longer as interested as the previous time, because he could not wait to leave for the lake.


    ¡°The young Guardian seems very distracted,¡± the elf thought with a tight smile. ¡°I wonder what or who is occupying his thoughts.¡±


    Alaric wasn''t sure, but it seemed to him that she even sounded jealous that she didn''t know what he was hiding from her.


    A few days later they arrived at the lake. During the ceremony of lights, Alaric did not stop looking for Yaritza in the dark waters. It was impossible to recognize her that way, but he did not give up. When he followed his father to greet the sirenian chiefs, Alaric''s heart was pounding so hard that even his chest ached, and he wondered if he wasn''t about to die right there. He looked for Yaritza with his eyes, but could not find her. His father spotted Thalassa, and they both went to greet her, but Yaritza was not with her this time.


    Alaric''s spirits sank as deep as the Dragon''s tomb itself.


    The next morning, again with everyone asleep, he went down to the shore again in the hope of finding her again. He located the same spot where he had sat the year before, and waited for a while, but without results.


    Stupid, stupid, he said to himself, you are pathetic, ridiculous, you missed your chance and now never again...


    Driven by anger, Alaric got up, and ran to the water. He needed to cool his head. He dove into the water, and as he came back up, he looked towards the rocky promontory, and swam out to it.


    Actually, he didn''t know how to swim. Near Shadowrock there was no watercourse where he could practice, so he had never tried it. It wasn''t as easy as it looked, he immediately sank like a rock. This was how his life was going to end, brought to ruin by a stupid girl.


    Suddenly, something pulled him upwards and so, just as quickly as he had sunk, he rose back to the surface.


    His rescuer was none other than Yaritza, who had spotted him from afar just before he sank. Upon contact with the water, her body had taken on her original sirenian form. Her scapes glowed red, like roses, and small gills had opened at the base of her neck.


    ¡°What were you doing?¡± she asked outraged.


    Alaric gave her the same angry look.


    ¡°I''ll take you back to the shore,¡± said the sirenian dragging him without difficulty.


    ¡°No!¡± Alaric tried to resist.


    ¡°You''re going to drown!¡±


    ¡°Take me there!¡± Alaric pointed to the promontory with a nod of his head. ¡°I command you!¡±


    ¡°You command me?¡± the little sirenian was offended.


    Alaric had not wanted to sound so authoritarian, but being the son of a nobleman, it was the only expression he could think of when faced with a person who did not want to obey his will.


    ¡°Please?¡±


    The sirenia laughed.


    ¡°You''re so silly, Shadow, truth be told, but you''re also cute.¡±


    With that said, she rested her lips on his again, as she had the previous time, and they both submerged. Alaric had thought he would feel some kind of initial pressure but being underwater felt as natural as being out of it. But he felt something strange at the base of his neck, and, when he reached a hand towards the spot, he discovered that he had grown two gills similar to Yaritza''s.


    Alaric would never forget what he saw that day. The bottom of the lake was immense, a blue world totally different from the surface. It seemed as if he and Yaritza were floating in the middle of nowhere. The promontory, which had seemed so small to him, continued downward like an infinite underwater tower.


    Yaritza took him by the hand and they both rushed to the bottom. They were going so fast that it seemed as if the world had turned upside down, and Alaric could no longer distinguish whether they were really going down or up a path of stones at the end of which they came upon what appeared to be a temple made of rocks from the bottom of the lake. Its size was so impressive that in comparison the two explorers seemed no more than two tiny fish in front of a whale''s mouth.


    Yaritza told him that they could go no further, because the entrance to the tomb was blocked. Not even the sirenians could enter or else they would be cursed by the dragon itself.


    That visit to the grave was repeated over the next few years, and became a tradition. Their time together was minuscule compared to the rest of the days they spent away from each other, but Alaric could not help but look forward to that meeting all year long. Eventually, they also began to write letters to each other that were sent via pigeons. Alaric got Leander to become their intermediary so that his father would not notice.


    Apart from that, they had no other contact during the year. Yaritza could not stay far away from the water and, even in the unlikely event that she could appear in Shadowrock, her father would have forbidden her to enter. That was one of the reasons why Alaric never dared to share his true feelings, although he always had thought that it didn''t need to be told out loud, and that Yaritza knew perfectly well that his heart belonged to her since that first meeting when he had run off like a coward.


    But he was the future Guardian of the Circle. His duty was first to his people. His place was in Shadowrock, while Yaritza could wander as she pleased in the Freedom Sea. Their love was destined to fail from the beginning, and Alaric did not want to hurt her.


    So when, at the age of twenty-four, his father informed him that he would not be accompanying him to the lake that year, but would be participating in a mission that His Majesty had entrusted to a group of nobles, Alaric did not complain. It was for the best. They could not continue to deceive themselves. Besides, it was the first real mission in which he would participate. After long and long-suffering years of training, his father was beginning to recognize him as a worthy heir, and he could not miss the opportunity to prove that he was no longer the sickly child of the past.


    So he left for the capital, where he embarked with the other nobles on a mission that would take them to some of the most remote islands in the north where it was thought that there would be a confrontation with the pirates after long years of peace. They were supposed to engage in dialogue in order to avoid conflict, but they were heavily armed anyway.


    That was the first time Alaric saw the sea, and understood why Yaritza and the sirenians would rather leave every year than remain captive on land. By that time, Yaritza must have already reached the lake and would be feeling very angry with him for not being there. Perhaps her anger would be so great that she would decide to forget him forever. Although the thought of that hurt him, it also reassured him because it was the best thing for her.


    So convinced was he of this that his surprise knew no bounds the day he was on deck gazing out on that vast sea that reminded him so much of his lovely sirenian, when suddenly he heard a voice that made his heart leap.


    ¡°Hey, Shadow, wake up!¡±


    It couldn''t be...


    ¡°Yaritza!¡± the young man discovered her clinging to some ropes hanging from the boat. Her long black hair floated in the breeze, and her red scales glowed like fire.


    ¡°Did you think you could stand me up just like that, without suffering the consequences?¡± she grimaced in disgust though her eyes conveyed mischief.


    ¡°But I... we...!¡± Alaric did not know how to explain. ¡°What consequences?¡±


    She grabbed him by the collar of his clothes, while letting go of the ropes, which caused her to drag him down, and they both plunged into the waves. Alaric felt the sirenia''s lips on his, though this time they stayed together longer, unlike all the previous times.


    The force of the sea had nothing to do with the calm waters of the lake, so, while Yaritza dragged him through the foam and the waves, Alaric lost sight of the boat. He wondered what his fellow travellers would think when they saw that he was nowhere to be found, but in reality he realized that he did not care.


    The sirenian ended up driving him to the beach of a small island that she claimed was uninhabited, and was only visited by pirates and sirenians who never stayed long. There they spent several days, completely alone, enjoying each other¡¯s company, and somehow making up for all those countless days that they have been separated.


    Alaric knew no happier days than those.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stay here forever,¡± proposed Yaritza one day while taking a nap in the shade of a palm tree. ¡°Everyone must think you¡¯re dead. Stay here, and let¡¯s forget about the rest of the world.¡±


    Her words hinted at a dangerous seduction: disappearing for the rest of the world, becoming someone else, forgetting all the expectations and obligations that had been imposed on him since he was born.


    But Alaric couldn¡¯t help but think of Barthra, as well as his comrades Leander and Cormac. Would they have heard that he was missing by now? Would they really think he was dead? Would they be mourning his death, burying an empty coffin, while he was there in bliss with Yaritza? How long had it been? Days, weeks, months?


    ¡°I need to go back, Yaritza,¡± he stood up, and knelt before her with a very serious face. ¡°Would you become my Countess?¡±


    Yaritza laughed as if that was the most ridiculous idea in the world.


    ¡°Me, Countess? Look at me. Do you really think I¡¯m capable of wearing dresses and bossing servants, in the midst of those icy mountains and forests populated with elves? Besides, I can¡¯t survive long away from the water either. Your idea is stupid, mine is much better,¡± she stroked his hair like a child about to have a tantrum.


    ¡°I will build you a home near the lake. You will not have to live far away,¡± insisted Alaric.


    Yaritza¡¯s eyes, so happy during those days, darkened for the first time.


    ¡°Elves wouldn¡¯t like it. The Guardian should be neutral. An alliance with a sirenian would be very frowned upon. We would live with conflict after conflict. The royal family would end up taking away your title, and the result would be much worse than if they thought you were dead.¡±


    ¡°For you, any sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°Any sacrifice other than staying here with me,¡± she laughed. ¡°Besides, every winter I would have to leave. I couldn¡¯t stay with you. You would have to wait for me every year, that would not change,¡± she took his hand, begging. ¡°But here we can be forever together.¡±


    ¡°What about your family?¡±


    ¡°In our culture, children do not belong to parents. We are free to decide for ourselves. Moreover, they could visit us.¡±


    ¡°But I could not see my own people,¡± Alaric reproached her.


    ¡°You said any sacrifice, but you keep putting obstacles!¡±


    ¡°You are not willing to sacrifice yourself for me either!¡±


    ¡°And you also mention an oath that is for life¡±, Yaritza''s tone of voice made it sound like a joke, and Alaric felt hurt.


    ¡°Well, yes, marriage is sacred, it is forever.¡±


    ¡°Sirenians do not get married, we promise each other, every year. Like my parents. Every year my mother comes back, and commits to him again. It¡¯s a choice.¡±


    They remained silent until Alaric spoke again.


    ¡°It seems that neither of us is prepared to compromise.¡±


    ¡°It seems not.¡±


    ¡°Then, perhaps, this is not love.¡±


    As soon as he said that, Alaric regretted it, but it was too late. Yaritza¡¯s eyes burned like fire, and with a movement of her hand a giant wave swept across the beach taking Alaric away from her. For a moment he thought she was going to kill him, but the current dragged him out to sea, without drowning him. He remained floating for a while, lost in the middle of the ocean, until a ship from the Royal Navy intercepted him.

 Chapter 23 - The new Countess

    His return to Shadowrock ended up in a great feast, though clouded by the news that the old Count had fallen ill during his absence. The man, for the first time in his life, felt guilty that he had sent his only son to his death. When Alaric entered his chamber he was met by a person of an entirely opposite personality to the one he had known all his life. Not only did he not shout, but he asked him to come closer to embrace and welcome him.


    ¡°My boy, my boy, you are!¡± exclaimed the old man with tears in his eyes, and, at that sight, Alaric felt he had made the right decision. Had he stayed with Yaritza, he would have lost the opportunity to reconcile with his father before his death.


    Old Barthra had also been very touched by his arrival, and kept hugging him and crying with joy.


    ¡°Dear child! Praise the Blue Dragon! Thank you, My Lord!¡±


    Alaric was overcome with shame, and not even to her could he tell the truth.According to Barthra, the old Count had very little left to live. The news of his son''s disappearance had affected him so profoundly that he had suffered a stroke from which he had barely escaped with the help of the healer.


    The Count knew this very well, and some days after his son''s return, he expressed his last wish.


    ¡°My dear boy, it would be a joy for me to see you married with children before I die. Not only for the sake of Shadowrock and the Circle, but because I would like to see you happy before my departure. There is a girl, daughter of a noble friend, who I think would be a good choice. It is not my wish to force you, because I do not want to leave this world on bad terms with you but... if you could get to know her a little and decide for yourself...¡±


    Thus it was arranged. A week later, a Baron and his family arrived in Shadowrock, proudly accompanying the youngest daughter, Irina, to be presented as a possible candidate. The girl was a few years younger than Alaric, with brown hair and honey-colored eyes. She possessed a calm and kind personality, even going to the extreme of behaving as if she was worried about being a nuisance. While talking to Irina, Alaric realized she also had a difficult childhood and her family expected a lot from her. He couldn''t feel but sorry for her, and that may be one the reasons why he accepted the marriage.


    Although every time he thought of Yaritza, Alaric''s blood boiled with rage, he knew he could never forget her. Still, he had to do his part and to father an heir to carry on the tradition. That little woman with the placid look seemed the perfect companion to lead a quiet life. Perhaps, with time, the memory of Yaritza would become weaker and weaker, and he would come to love this new wife, so attentive, who faithfully devoted herself to perform her duties.


    The old Count lived long enough to witness the wedding and the seemingly marital bliss of the newlyweds for more than a year, but, while eagerly awaiting the birth of an heir who was taking his time to arrive, he succumbed to another attack, this time a fatal one, and not even Barthra or the best doctors and magicians sent from the capital were able to bring him back to health.


    As the new Count of Shadowrock, Alaric assumed his duties in such an exemplary manner that it only took a short period of time before everyone came to the conclusion that new airs blew through the castle. While the former Count had changed in the last year, most could not forget the abuses of his darker days. Alaric, however, imposed new rules that protected all the people under his care, including the servants, who were to be treated with respect, especially by the wizards of the Order, who sometimes took advantage of their status.


    That first year the one thing he did not do as Count was to attend the Return of the Sirenians. He entrusted that task to Eldrin, while he went to visit, as was tradition, along with his wife, the Lady of the Whispering Forest. The elf had always treated him with the best of courtesies, in addition to the fact that his wife was very excited to explore the city of the elves.


    As soon as they arrived, the two women became instant friends. The elf took Irina on a tour of the Great Blue Willow, and shared with the Countess several dance and poetry sessions that were prepared as part of the couple''s reception.


    The new Countess could not help but rejoice at such a display of generosity, and that relieved Alaric''s heart. His sweet wife had felt very depressed since the death of her father-in-law, because she had been unable to conceive an heir in time. She thought there was something wrong inside her that prevented her from having children. She was consumed by a guilt that Alaric could not appease. Therefore, he felt very grateful to Daephennya at that moment. That was why, since they wouldn''t visit the lake, he decided to stay at Serenity Glade a few more days than previosly planned.


    Then, one evening, shortly before returning to Shadowrock, his wife appeared in a most cheerful mood in their chamber, as he had never seen her before. Behind her followed several elven servants bearing trays for supper. Irina told him that she had conveyed to the elf her desire to spend a quiet evening with her husband, and she had been most understanding. As the young Countess laughed and recounted all that she had done that day at the Great Blue Willow, Alaric watched her, delighted with her gestures and mischievous smiles, thinking that he might well be beginning to grow real feelings for her. He was sure they would find a way to have children. They hadn''t been married that long yet. It was not the time to give up.


    The next day, however, the happy wife with whom he had spent the night was not present beside him when he awoke. Later, when he went to look for Irina, he surprinsingly found her looking perhaps even much sadder than before. When Alaric asked if anything had upset her, she dismissed his fears. She was simply sad to have to leave so soon, but when Alaric offered to stay more days she declined because they could not continue any longer away from Shadowrok.


    Once back in the castle, despite his wife''s inexplicable grief, Alaric did not lose hope that she would regain that brief joy. However, when he tried to recount to her how happy they had been that last night in Serenity Glade, she turned away, and avoided his touch.


    She then came back to apologize, saying that she must be ill, but still she continued in the same mood, and asked to move her things to another room to sleep separately from her husband, as if that night had never happened.


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    After a few weeks, Irina informed him that she was pregnant. Alaric received the news with joy, and it seemed that his wife was pleased to see him so excited, but continue to sleep separately. She explained that she felt more comfortable resting alone, and did not want to do anything that might affect the pregnancy. Alaric agreed, although he could not understand what he had done. Perhaps rumors had reached Irina about his relationship with Yaritza, so he tried to be the more attentive of the husbands over the next few months, as he watched with anticipation how his wife''s belly grew.


    Barthra checked on Irina several times. It seemed that everything was going well, although every time he asked her about the countess, a shadow of doubt seemed to cover the old woman''s eyes.


    In spite of that, everything seemed to be going normally, until, close to the date of the birth, the Count received an message from the Lady of the Whispering Forest who wished to have a most urgent meeting with him.


    This was unprecedented. Daephennya had never needed to call upon her father in such a way, much less had she left Serenity Glade to meet him at the edge of the forest, so close to the castle. The elf was also requesting the presence of his wife, but, though such a condition puzzled him, he had no reason to think that the elf had ill intentions either. Perhaps she simply wanted to see her friend once again and congratulate them on the pregnancy. Alaric also thought that her visit might cheer up Irina who, despite her condition, still showed no signs of improvement in terms of spirit.


    That day the couple walked to the forest, followed by some guards and servants who stayed nearby in case their masters required their assistance.


    Daephennya was waiting for them accompanied by a pair of elves. One of them held a small bundle that Daephennya, as soon as she greeted them, took in her arms and handed it to the Countess. The bundle began to move, and suddenly a loud cry resounded among the trees.


    Alaric did not understand anything.


    The elf showed an annoyed expression before she spoke:


    ¡°As promised, here is your daughter. I am sure she will be very happy with you.¡±


    It was there when Alaric met a little baby girl with dark hair and eyes just as blue as his own. When he asked for an explanation, his wife tearfully told him that she had made a deal with Daephennya. Using one of her tricks, the elf had pretended to be the Countess during that whole damned night, and the screaming little girl was the result of it all. As for Irina''s pregnancy, it was really nothing more than an illusion caused by some potions that the elf had made her drink during all those months.


    ¡°But still, my Lord. Look at her, she is beautiful, just like you. No one will notice, thanks to the Nymph and the lady Daephennya. She has great plans for the child, you will see!¡± said his wife drowned by tears.


    Alaric wanted to run out of the forest, but Daephennya stopped him. First they had to agree on what they would tell to the rest of the world.


    The next day, the news spread through the Circle that the Countess had unexpectedly given birth in the middle of the forest, but thanks to the Lady of the Forest, the new heiress was born without any problems. All the servants commented that little Lady Olivia of Shadowrock was a beautiful, cheerful baby, so full of life.


    The only one who knew the truth at that moment was Barthra, who at first took care of the child. Later Eldrin and Leander would also know, but for that a long time would have to pass. In the meantime, Alaric wanted nothing to do with his wife or the baby. He felt betrayed. Just when he thought he could enjoy some happiness, fate slapped him in the face.


    Barthra shared his sadness, but told him that the child was not to blame and, whoever the mother was, she was without doubt his heiress. He did not have to forgive Irina, who had acted in desperation and, surely, manipulated by the cunning elf, but it would be cruel to the child.


    ¡°You really don''t want, my Lord, to act just as your lord father did when you were a child.¡±


    That was true. Alaric did not want to follow in his father''s footsteps, but still kept his distance from the girl. It was a relief that she seemed to have no traits of Daephennya, but still he could not help but think of the elf every time he saw her.


    However, Alaric had to put aside his resentment because, after a few weeks of festivities in the castle following the birth, he was awakened one night by the news that the Countess had fallen ill with a strange disease that caused red spots to appear on her skin. They had continued their separate lives, so there was no reason why he should be ill as well.


    As the days went by, however, it was discovered that she was not the only one, but that other wizards and servants had been infected. The outbreak, it seemed, had started in the village and then spread to the castle.


    ¡°And Olivia?¡±, Alaric asked with guilt.


    ¡°The child seems to be well, my Lord,¡± explained Eldrin. ¡°The Countess was not spending much time with her. She was always entrusting the servant girls to take care of her.¡±


    Eldrin then forced the Count to leave the castle with his daughter. They could not take any chances. The Countess would be left under the wizards and Barthra''s care, who would not abandon the sick for anything in the world.


    Alaric could not take refuge in the village. Together with Cormac, they decided to camp near the lake, the only place that seemed to be safe from the plague. Just in case they would stay away from the villagers.


    It was spring again. Days had passed since the sirenians returned to the lake. For the first time in two years, Alaric was again just a few minutes away to Yaritza, but he still did not want to meet her.


    In the meantime, during those days of waiting, the news of Irina''s death reached him. He felt sad for that sweet woman who had gone to great lengths to fullfil her duty, but he was incapable of crying, even though he wished to do it as a last sign of affection towards her. It was as if he was saying goodbye to someone he had barely known despite the time they had shared together as husband and wife, which have been even longer that the intermittent encounters shared with Yaritza.


    Their daughter Olivia was indeed beautiful. It was hard not to be captivated by those sapphire-colored eyes that give him looks of joy, surprise, curiosity, even admiration. The maids who attended her kept commenting that the girl only stopped crying when her father took her in his arms.


    As Alaric''s heart was not made of stone, he could not help but be moved when one of the women passed him the crying girl who, as soon as she met her father''s blue eyes, became silent and hypnotized as she couldn''t stop gazing at him.


    Once the danger had passed, Alaric decided it was time to return to Shadowrock. The plague had claimed a lot of victims, and now he had to focus on helping the mourning villagers, whose food production had been affected.


    A short while before their departure, Alaric saw a man from the Lake Tribe approaching with a sirenian girl in his arms. It was none other than Mantok, Yaritza''s father, that being one of the chiefs had approached to the camp to greet the group and wish them a safe journey.


    ¡°On behalf of the entire tribe, I am deeply sorry for the loss of your wife, Guardian of the Circle," Mantok said, bowing his head. "At least you managed to save your daughter, who appears to be such a lovely child.¡±


    Alaric had no desire to talk about his late wife, so he pointed to the curious girl sitting on the chief''s shoulders.


    ¡°One of your daughters?¡±


    The man laughed.


    ¡°If my Thalassa could heard you! No, no, we have already done our fair share! Actually, she is my first granddaughter, Numi, daughter of my eldest, Yaritza.¡± Mantok gave him an enigmatic look.


    ¡°You two knew each other since childhood, didn''t you?¡±

 Chapter 24 - The accused

    ¡°Olivia, you were here? How?¡±


    Her father stepped away from Numi who was looking at her with eyes as round as saucers, as were the rest of the family members.


    He was not dressed as usual. That''s why, at first, she couldn''t believe it was him. He had taken off his nobleman''s clothes, the embroidered doublet, the leather gloves, the velvet pants and the high riding boots, and had changed into a simple shirt and light pants. He was even barefoot, and did not carry any sword. His black hair was tousled, as if he had run a great distance. He looked like just another member of the tribe. A carefree man who had come home after a long journey to meet his beloved family.


    Had he really been looking for her all that time?


    ¡°What are you holding there?¡± Alaric pointed to the talisman Olivia held in her hand, and gave a bitter laugh. ¡°Of course, it had to be her. At least she kept her word, somehow, and delivered you to me.¡±


    Olivia had clenched her fists so tightly she felt her hands burning. She wanted to scream, but the pain was as great as a rock stuck in her throat. She gritted her teeth. She didn''t want to cry, not there, with everyone watching. With her father''s mistress and their daughter present.When she spoke, her voice sounded like a hiss, loud enough that only he could hear it.


    ¡°It wasn''t to protect me... you wanted to keep your other family secret from me... your shame... And Daephennya wanted to show me the truth of what you were. Now I understand.¡±


    ¡°It''s not like that, don''t let her manipulate you.¡±


    ¡°You lied to me about my real mother, you hid from me that I had a sister, and from both you kept me apart. You made that decision alone. You betrayed me, your own daughter, but of course if you had another... You don''t really need me.¡±


    Alaric approached slowly as if she were a deer that could run away at any moment.


    To Olivia''s surprise, Silas stepped between her and her father.


    Alaric stopped.


    ¡°You''re still here, with my daughter, you could have left by now,¡± her father glared at the dog. ¡°I thought...¡±


    ¡°Silas, leave us, there is no need, please,¡± Olivia begged him, and the dog reluctantly took his place behind her letting out a growl.


    She looked back at her father.


    ¡°Every year you''d go away and leave me... Turns out it was to meet your other daughter.¡±


    A much prettier, more fearless, freer daughter than she could ever be, Olivia thought.


    Numi moved forward in a couple of strides, until she was next to Alaric.


    ¡°So... you''re Olivia? You''re Olivia, really?¡± she looked astonished, almost as if she had just been told some good news. It seemed that at any moment a smile might break out on her face that she was trying hard to contain.


    ¡°Numi, don''t...¡± Alaric tried to shush her, but the young sirenian didn''t listen to him.


    ¡°Did you know?¡± Olivia felt she couldn''t sink any lower. Was everyone there aware that the Count of Shadowrock had a sirenian daughter, except for her, the ignorant, pathetic girl who lived locked up in the castle.


    ¡°Dad always brought me news about you, and I wanted to meet you so much.¡±


    Olivia felt as if she had been hit right in the chest.


    ¡°Do not call him that in front of me! Not like we''re family! We''re not! I can''t have sisters! Not like that!¡±. Every word that came out of her mouth felt like it made her bleed inside. ¡°You wanted to meet me? Ha! You took your time! You didn''t even try, I''m sure!¡±


    Numi stepped back with a hurt expression. Yaritza came up from the side, and hugged her daughter, who hid her face in her mother''s neck.


    ¡°Olivia... it''s not their fault,¡± said Alaric softly. ¡°Hate me. I am the cause of all this mess, and your mother...¡± he shook his head.


    ¡°Is that why I was punished? For the mother I have?¡±


    ¡°It''s not like that, you know very well it''s not like that.¡±


    ¡°I don''t believe you! You chose the easy way! You locked me up, and hid a part of me! It''s my life! It''s not only yours! It''s my story too!¡±


    Alaric had stretched both arms forward, reaching for his daughter''s shoulders. Before he could touch her, Olivia already felt imprisoned but was unable to move.


    ¡°Not here, Olivia, come with me. We''ll talk about it, I''ll tell you anything you want, I promise, I swear.¡±


    ¡°I don''t believe you.¡±


    ¡°It''ll be different this time.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to force me to come back after all?¡±


    ¡°At Shadowrock I can protect you. Here you''re exposing these people to the king''s rage...¡±


    ¡°So they come first.¡±


    ¡°You too,¡± Alaric gave Silas a piercing look.


    ¡°And Silas? Will you leave him alone?¡±


    ¡°Silas?¡± Alaric then understood that she was talking about the black dog. ¡°So you''ve become friends... If that''s the case then all the more reason you should...¡±


    ¡°He''s not going to sacrifice himself for me!¡± Olivia shouted.


    The Count''s apparent calm disappeared from his face.


    ¡°It''s the only way the royal family will leave us alone! I beg you, chimera! I have it all planned, nothing bad will happen to you!¡±


    ¡°He has a name! His name is Silas, and he''s my friend, and I''m not going to hand him over to the palace for my safety!¡±


    ¡°If you would listen to me for a moment you would see that...¡±


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    Alaric was an inch away from Olivia, but Mantok blocked him.


    ¡°We are not in Shadowrock, my Lord. You may be the Guardian of the Circle, but you have no authority here.¡±


    ¡°Authority? She''s my daughter!¡± Alaric roared in a way that made Olivia''s skin crawl. She had never seen him so angry.


    ¡°Yes, but she has also committed a great fault,¡± replied Mantok in a soft, yet firm voice, the opposite of Alaric''s at that moment. ¡°The girl has infiltrated my household, and has entered into relations with my family pretending to be someone she was not. As one of the chiefs, I demand that a tribal meeting be held to decide on an appropriate way to make amends for such an offence.¡±


    ¡°Really, Mantok?¡± Alaric looked at him as if he had gone mad. ¡°She is a child!¡±


    ¡°Mantok...¡± Thalassa stood next to her partner, but then turned to the Count. ¡°My Lord, this has been a very hectic night. We must all calm down. But there is one thing I cannot deny. My partner is right. Your daughter has insulted us all with her deceit, so for the time being she will remain in our custody until she is accountable to all the chiefs of the tribe. After all, the Lake Tribe demands respect.¡±


    ¡°Thalassa...¡± Alaric''s voice became threatening.


    ¡°You are the father of my granddaughter. Do not ruin so many years of friendship simply out of stubbornness. I promise that your daughter will not run away, as I know very well that you fear. Neither of them, she and the chimera, have anywhere to go. This place is surrounded by Sirenians who will be able to find them at once. The chimera has reached the lake, and is therefore under our protection. In the meantime, Mantok and I will have a talk with these two... to better understand the situation.¡±


    ¡°This is outrageous,¡± the Count reproached her.


    ¡°We are just following the laws of the Covenant. You are the Guardian, you should know that, you have taken an oath. Actually, here the only one who is trying to abuse his power is you because you do not allow us to judge your daughter properly.¡±


    The Count closed his eyes, and thought about it for a moment.


    ¡°Fine, but make it quick.¡±


    ¡°All in good time. Today is the night of the Return, we can''t rush the chiefs.¡±


    The Count said no more, it seemed he had realized he had everything to lose if he confronted Thalassa.


    The sirenian chiefess began to retreat towards the big family hut, followed by Mantok, who signaled Silas and Olivia to follow them. He then waved his arms at the other family members to dismiss them.


    Before walking away, Olivia turned her head toward her father to find Yaritza standing next and comforting him by stroking his back. Irritated, the girl turned around again, and hurried her pace.


    She had no idea what Silas must be thinking, but at least he had tried to defend her. Meanwhile, her head was a whirlpool of contradictions. She felt guilty that she had been caught in her deception, but also betrayed by that family of sirenians who knew more about her life than she did.


    Although at that very moment she preferred a thousand times more to suffer the punishment imposed by the tribe than to talk to her father again.


    Inside the hut were some members of the family whom Mantok asked to leave. Once they were alone, Olivia fell to her knees, and, resting her hands on the ground, lowered her head.


    ¡°Chief Mantok, Chief Thalassa, I know I have offended you deeply, and there is nothing I can say in my defense but...¡±


    Mantok let out a laugh that reverberated throughout the room, and Olivia looked up in surprise to see him shake his hand in the same manner she had already seen him do hundreds of times over the course of that agitated day.


    ¡°Raise your head, Acolyte... my Lady... uh... girl... no one is angry with you.¡±


    ¡°Aren''t you?¡± Olivia''s voice trembled in disbelief. She felt so angry with everyone and there was the old boss laughing with his whole body.


    Mantok even had tears leaking from his eyes that he had to wipe away with one hand.


    ¡°Of course we are not. I haven''t had so much fun in years. Young people have all sorts of funny ideas... Disguising themselves as Acolytes, running off through the kingdom with a chimera... Thalassa, my dear, did you know of all of this?¡±


    They had both sat facing Olivia and Silas in a relaxed position.


    ¡°Of course, my dear,¡± she replied.


    ¡°I figured as much, you''re always one step ahead of me.¡±


    ¡°So the punishment...?¡± Olivia began to ask in a pitiful voice.


    This time both chiefs laughed.


    ¡°All that punishment stuff was an invention to get your father off our backs, so we could talk calmly to decide what to do with you and, above all, with our brother chimera,¡± Mantok bowed his head to Silas, who nodded in return.


    ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you at last, Lady Olivia,¡± said Thalassa.


    ¡°We haven''t seen you since you were a baby,¡± added Mantok.


    ¡°Have we met?¡±


    ¡°You were too little to remember,¡± the man explained. ¡°We always wanted your father to bring you to visit the lake, and meet your sister, but he...¡±


    ¡°The man is as stubborn as an octopus,¡± Thalassa remarked, but then she became serious, and looked Olivia straight in the eye. ¡°Still, we always understood his reasons... It''s already beginning to show.¡±


    ¡°Show?¡± Olivia shifted uncomfortably.


    Thalassa reached out to the girl without touching her.


    ¡°Your elven half. It''s still very weak, but there it is.¡±


    Olivia bit her lip.


    ¡°We''d better focus on Silas.¡±


    The sirenian agreed. Mantok, who had gotten up to look for something, returned with a map which he spread out on the ground.


    ¡°Well, where does the chimera brother want to go?¡± he asked.


    ¡°To the Isle of Demons,¡± answered Silas.


    Mantok whistled, and Thalassa began to point out some spots and routes. From the lake, the most direct way to get to Stormbrace was to cross the eastern meadows, but for Silas the safest route would be by water. He should take the same route as the sirenians did: cross the Gulf of the Dancing Lights until he reached the Misty Dream Strait. Then he would have to follow the coast eastward until he reached the Freedom Sea and head straight toward the island.


    ¡°For a non- sirenian, it''s a long journey,¡± said Mantok. ¡°But at least you can change form.¡±


    ¡°I... I coudn''t transform yet...¡±


    Silas lowered his head in shame. Olivia wanted to tell him that he shouldn''t feel bad about it, but she thought the chimera wouldn''t like it if she said it in front of the other two.


    ¡°But right now...¡± Thalassa started saying.


    ¡°My options are limited, ¡± Silas interrupted her. ¡°I can turn into not very large land animals. I have never come close to practicing in water. I will need time to achieve a suitable form.¡±


    ¡°I understand...¡± Thalassa remained thoughtful. ¡°There is a way to speed up the process.¡±


    Silas'' droopy ears perked up.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°We have rarely done it. We need several sirenians, especially experienced chiefs.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°We should be able to read your code and make... a few small alterations.¡±


    ¡°Alterations?¡± Silas sounded suspicious.


    ¡°Temporary,¡± Thalassa clarified. ¡°But they will last long enough to get you safely to the island. If we could, we''d go with you... but too many people already know you''re here, not just the Count, I imagine. If we are found to be helping a chimera, we may risk a conflict. With wizards you never know.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± said Silas, and then puffed out his chest with pride. ¡°The mere fact of turning me will be of great help. The rest I can do on my own.¡±


    ¡°That''s the spirit worthy of a chimera,¡± nodded Mantok with a grunt of satisfaction.


    ¡°Still...¡± Thalassa frowned. ¡°We are getting ahead of ourselves. We can''t make any decisions without the rest of the chiefs.¡±


    Mantok waved his hand.


    ¡°I don''t think it will be a problem... They''ll all agree...¡±


    ¡°They won''t like it if we interrupt their party,¡± Thalassa warned him.


    ¡°It is an important matter. With the Count here we can''t wait any longer... As for you... Lady Olivia of Shadowrock.¡±


    Olivia took a deep breath. She didn''t like what she was about to say at all.


    ¡°If I go with Silas... the royal family will come for you and the rest of the tribe. I don''t want that. My father is right about one thing. I''m sorry I got you into this mess.¡±


    Mantok laid a hand on her own.


    ¡°This lake has been very dull lately. You were meant to come and shake things up a bit. I understand that it must not have sunk in yet but we are family. To us, you are as much a granddaughter as our Numi. If you ever want to run away from your father again, you can always come here.¡±


    Olivia averted his gaze, and looked at the black dog who had become somber.


    ¡°What will you do with the prince?¡± Silas asked suddenly.


    ¡°I''m not sure yet but it''s something I''ll have to deal with. I won''t let my father use you to save me. I''m glad we came together this far.¡±


    The chimera was silent again.


    The time had come. They were very close to saying goodbye. Olivia wondered if he would feel as sad as she did.


    But she was determined. She couldn''t run away from her problems. Silas had to go alone, even though, from that moment on, she was sure that, if that was truly the last time they saw each other, no matter her fate, she would spend the rest of her life missing him.

 Chapter 25 - The sirenian assembly

    Silas couldn''t decide whether to be happy about the news that the sirenians would help him or disappointed that he would have to continue his journey alone. When he left the mountains, he had been determined to venture into the human realm on his own, but now the prospect did not generate as much excitement as before. It was true that they had already discussed it with Olivia, but, now that the decision was about to materialize, he had the impression that a hole was opening up in his chest. He had felt it once before, a while back, and it had taken him a long time to close it.


    Or maybe it had always been open, and he just decided to ignored it. Now, against all odds, that half-human, half-elven girl had appeared to remind him of it.


    Thalassa''s words brought him out of his reverie.


    ¡°It''s time for us to prepare,¡± the sirenian and her partner got up and headed for the door. ¡°Wait here, and don''t even think of going out, unless, of course, you want to talk to your father.¡±


    Olivia let out a snort in response.


    Before walking out, Mantok turned his head toward a window, where he could see the moonlit surface of the lake.


    ¡°Numi, since you''re already sneaking around, why don''t you keep an eye on them while we go talk to the rest of the chiefs?¡±


    That said, to the astonishment of both Olivia and Silas, the young sirenian girl leapt through the window, as if she had been perched on it for a while.


    ¡°Hello!¡± she exclaimed, waving a hand, as if she were nothing more than a neighbor passing by for a visit.


    The old chief left laughing, but not before winking at them.


    Numi sat across from the two of them with her legs crossed, although Silas could tell she was having a hard time sitting still as she shifted uncomfortably.


    ¡°I knew there was something fishy about you the moment I saw you! That means my magic sense is getting better! Soon I''ll be able to sense things like granny!" she patted her chest proud of herself. She had spoken as if the situation was the most normal thing in the world.


    Sirenians and humans were weird.


    ¡°I don''t want to talk to you!¡± Olivia exclaimed angrily.


    ¡°But we were doing so well a while ago!¡± Numi protested, pouting.


    ¡°At the time I didn''t know who you truly were!¡±


    ¡°And I didn''t know who you were either, but I don''t care!¡±


    ¡°I do care!¡± Olivia narrowed her eyes as if she had just realized something. ¡°What... when did you...?¡±


    Silas had noticed it from the first moment Numi set foot inside the hut. The sirenian''s long, fluffy hair had shortened to just above her ears, forming a dense crown of tight curls around her head, almost as short as Olivia''s hair.


    ¡°Ah! You like it?¡± Numi ran her fingers through the now short locks.¡±


    ¡°But what have you done to yourself?¡± Olivia sounded horrified.


    For some reason, hair was a very important issue to girls.


    ¡°I cut it off, silly!¡±


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°To make us look alike. We''re sisters!¡±


    ¡°We''re not... that!¡± Olivia seemed to be having trouble pronouncing the word. ¡°You didn''t have to!¡±


    ¡°Papa used to tell me you had long hair, and that''s why I let it grow. Now I find out you had short hair!¡± that last statement sounded like a complaint. ¡°You look like Papa, I look like Mama. Now this makes us look a little more alike.¡±


    Actually, they didn''t look anything alike. Olivia had white, rosy skin, while Numi had dark skin with golden tints. The half-human''s eyes were blue as the sky, the sirenia''s were green as seaweed. Olivia''s hair was silky and Numi''s frizzy. The former was thin and of medium height, the latter taller and stocky.


    Although he did have to admit that the two of them shared the same fervent energy that Silas found so exhausting. The only reason he hadn''t noticed it before was because Olivia had been holding back since they had come into contact with the sirenian family, plus she was furious at the moment.


    The day both girls were in a good mood, Silas wouldn''t want to be with the two of them together. They would end up consuming him with their endless rambling.


    Other than that, he had no reason to dislike the sirenian. The only one to blame for all that confusion was the Count, though Silas could understand Olivia''s anger and his loyalty was with her.


    What did he mean by loyalty? He was starting to have strange thoughts again.


    ¡°Can you stop calling him ¡°Papa¡± for a moment?¡± Olivia complained, ¡°This is all too much!¡± she rubbed her hands through her hair.


    Numi mimicked Olivia''s gesture.


    ¡°It''s too much for me as well.¡±


    ¡°I really coudn''t tell!¡±


    ¡°Why do you think I''ve been waiting hanging out the window? I couldn''t wait to talk to you!¡±


    ¡°We have nothing to talk about!¡±


    Numi pursed her lips.


    ¡°Until now you were an only child. Didn''t you ever want to have siblings, like me? Although I have a lot of cousins, but that''s not the same.¡±


    ¡°Well, no, I was perfectly fine being an only child!¡±


    Numi''s eyes bugged out.


    From everything Olivia had told him, Silas knew she would have wanted siblings too, but, of course, she wasn''t going to admit it to the sirenian even if they put a sword to her neck.


    ¡°It''s a pity, since we like the same things.¡±


    ¡°I don''t think so.¡±


    In a second, Numi''s attitude changed again, and she appeared determined.


    ¡°I like books!¡±


    Silas looked at Olivia with a hint of amusement in his eyes, expecting the girl to say that she didn''t really like them, but it seemed that such a lie would be too much for her, so she kept quiet.


    ¡°I even have the same ones as you!¡± Numi continued.


    ¡°What do you mean, the same ones?¡± Olivia asked in frustration.


    ¡°Papa...¡± replied Numi embarrassed, and then coughed. ¡°He always brought me copies of your favorites. That''s how I knew we both loved romance stories between court ladies and mysterious knights! My favorite is the one about the maid who ended up being a lost princess from another kingdom, and ends up falling in love with an unjustly banished nobleman! What''s yours?¡±


    Olivia''s face caught fire, and Silas let out a gasp most resembling a canine laugh.


    Numi didn''t wait for the answer. She reached into her clothes, pulled out a bundle of crumpled parchments, and began to show them to Olivia.


    ¡°Look what I have!¡±


    Silas looked up, and saw that these were ink drawings made by a child. They appeared to be a bunch of deformed mermaids swimming in a sea full of seaweed and round fish.


    ¡°I drew that!¡± Olivia protested.


    ¡°Yes, Papa brought them to me...¡± she looked a little embarrassed. ¡°He said that you had already forgotten about them, and that it was no problem if I kept them... Meanwhile, I drew these to give them to you in person one day.¡±


    She showed them several other drawings depicting a girl with long black hair riding a horse through the forest with her father, and another one in the castle among books.


    ¡°And in this one I drew the four of us. And it came true! Well, partly...¡±


    In the last drawing there were four people in front of the lake. From their features, there was no doubt that it was the Count holding Yaritza''s hand and next to them two smiling girls, also holding hands.


    ¡°What else can I tell you?¡± Numi thought for a moment, ¡°Ah! I have a seal, and you have a chimera.¡±


    ¡°I''m not a pet, sirenian,¡± growled Silas.


    ¡°I never said pet, it''s also my friend,¡± replied Numi offended. ¡°Someday I''ll introduce you to her, and you''ll be friends. Her name is Coral.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    ¡°My name is Numi.¡±


    ¡°I know that...¡±


    ¡°What''s yours?¡±


    ¡°Silas...¡±


    ¡°Like the chimera of the giant king!¡± she looked in Olivia''s direction. ¡°That was in one of your books!¡±


    Olivia rubbed her eyes. Silas was amused that she felt as stunned as he did.


    ¡°I mean...¡± the girl let out a long sigh. ¡°You''ve known all that since you were a child.¡±


    ¡°I always knew it. My mother has never kept anything from me. Between parents and children there should be no secrets.¡±


    Silas stirred uneasily, and guessed that Olivia was also affected by the comment.


    ¡°Good for you,¡± she replied. ¡°But I''ve never heard from you.¡±


    ¡°I...¡±


    ¡°Everyone here knew...¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry...¡±


    ¡°You can travel the entire sea, and you even enjoyed seeing your parents together.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, not that,¡± corrected the sirenia in a way that sounded even agreeable because it was another thing she had in common with her sister. ¡°Dad could only visit me a couple of times a year. Besides, they are not a couple, at least not yet...¡±


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°But you...¡±


    ¡°Just because I exist doesn''t mean anything. Until Mama accepts Papa, they can''t be a couple.¡±


    Olivia''s voice became curious.


    ¡°And why won''t she accept him after all this time?¡±


    ¡°It''s complicated, adult stuff... she has told me things, but kept others to herself... Part of it has to do with you.¡±


    ¡°With me?¡±


    Of course, Silas thought, her father''s mistress wouldn''t like another woman''s daughter.


    ¡°She didn''t want to promise herself to him until you knew the truth of everything.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± even the chimera realized that Olivia had bitten her tongue, perhaps silencing a scathing remark she had been about to utter.


    ¡°So... now that you know everything... maybe they''ll get promised this year... finally. We''ll be a family like I always wanted!¡±


    ¡°Wait...¡± Olivia was already starting to get impatient again, but Numi grabbed her hands.


    ¡°I know you are angry now, but I want you to know that you have me now. You are not alone,¡± Numi patted her chest again. ¡±You have your big sister to support you!¡±


    ¡°Big sister?¡±


    That must have hurt, Silas thought. Not only had Olivia learned that she had a sister, but Numi was the firstborn. She had become the younger sister in an instant.


    ¡°Ah, but don''t worry,¡± Numi tried to reassure her, although it may not have helped. ¡°The laws of humans are clear. A daughter like me could not be the heiress. You will be the Guardian of the Circle, although for Papa''s sake we hope it will be many, many, many, many years before that happens.¡±


    Olivia protested again, and the conversation continued in that unbearable back-and-forth for a while longer. Both girls were stubborn, and neither seemed to want to give in. Silas felt deeply grateful to Mantok when he interrupted them by appearing in the doorway.


    ¡°Ah, you seem to have enjoyed a nice conversation,¡± he commented after seeing Numi''s smiling face which contrasted with Olivia''s tiredness and Silas'' posture as he lay down on the floor with his paws over his ears. ¡°It is time now. The chiefs have been assembled.¡±


    As Silas descended the stairs of the hut, he spotted the somber Count with Yaritza and two other members of the family. The sky remained dark. It must be at least two hours before dawn.


    With Mantok in the lead, the group continued along the shore of the lake, moving away from the vicinity of the village, until they reached a rocky area. They continued along a winding path until they reached an open space illuminated by the moon. At the center awaited a group of about twenty elderly sirenians, among them Thalassa. All were dressed in loose robes, and were sitting silently on the rocks, while watching them attentively, some with their backs stiffened in solemn attitude, others more relaxed as if it were nothing more than a social gathering.


    Seeing the group arrive, Thalassa stood up.


    ¡°Brother chimera, in front of you stand all the sirenian chiefs of the tribe.¡±


    All the sirenians bowed their heads, and Silas responded with the same gesture.


    ¡°You will be pleased to know that when they heard of your predicament, they all agreed to come and listen to your request,¡± continued Thalassa. ¡°But in order to help you we need you to answer honestly first.¡±


    ¡°What is all this, wasn''t it supposed to...?¡± that voice was that of the Count, who no sooner had he started to object than he was silenced by Mantok.


    The sirenians had their eyes fixed on him, and all the confidence Silas once had about the outcome of that hearing faded away. He suspected what they were about to ask him, and he was unsure if he could answer without being untruthful.


    ¡°For a start,¡± said one of them, ¡°we would like to know why you left the safety of the mountains.¡±


    That, in fact, was not a question he could not answer, but it didn''t mean that it was easy for him to share with strangers the real reason that had led him to make such a drastic decision.


    But he couldn''t act proud if there was any chance of crossing the sea.


    ¡°I was abandoned by my pack,¡± he finally answered.


    The sirenians exchanged glances.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I was not worthy,¡± he thought that would be enough, but some sirenians raised their eyebrows, as if waiting for him to continue. ¡°Despite thousands of attempts, I could not master my power. Only now, at an age that is already considered late among chimeras, I am improving. But one day, due to the effort, it became impossible for me to follow my brothers'' footsteps in the snow, and they left me behind. Since then I wandered alone. I thought I would freeze to death, but I managed to leave the mountains, and found refuge in the castle of Shadowrock. There I met Lady Olivia, who after a long journey has brought me to you.¡±


    ¡°So you haven''t got your name yet,¡± pointed out a sirenian.


    ¡°I had thought otherwise,¡± added Thalassa.


    Silas was about to reply that no, he had not really obtained his name. The one he had at the moment was nothing more than a sham, a silly consolation he had allowed himself even though he knew he didn''t deserve it.


    ¡°Of course he has a name!¡± exclaimed Olivia. ¡°His name is Silas!¡±


    ¡°And who gave it to him?¡± asked a sirenian confused by the interruption of such a daring young lady.


    ¡°Olivia, shut up, don''t talk nonsense!¡± protested Silas, humiliated, feeling an agonizing desire to drown himself in the lake.


    ¡°I don''t know what the problem is, nor do I care to know, but I believe that by the mere fact of existing, any living being deserves its name!¡±


    ¡°That''s my sister,¡± Numi whispered in agitation.


    Mantok let out a laugh, and Silas turned his head to see how he patted the Count on the back, who was looking at his daughter in confusion.


    ¡°In that case, brother chimera,¡± Thalassa said as her lips parted in a smile, ¡°allow me to disagree with you. You may have lost your former pack, but it seems to me that you have managed to find another one.¡±


    To Silas this seemed foolish, but he thought it unwise to contradict the sirenian. He refrained, therefore, from answering.


    "And what is your purpose here?" asked one of the sirenian, ¡°What do you hope to accomplish so far from home?"


    "The chimeras were not part of the Covenant. Have you really come in peace?" asked another.


    Peace? Silas would have laughed, but restrained himself. That peace they talked so much about had never existed. They could tell stories and play at being friends, but the old grievances were still there. He had spotted them behind the arrogance of the wizards, in the stormy violet color of Daephennya''s eyes, in the fear of the sirenians themselves who spoke so much of fraternity, and in the connivance of the same nobles who had no qualms about using an innocent girl as a pawn.


    The sirenians were right to distrust him, but he could not back down. He needed to answer something that would convince them.


    ¡°I want to master my power. I have been told that the Archmage of the island will be able to help me.¡±


    The sirenians looked at each other again.


    ¡°And once you have mastered it?¡±


    ¡°Will you stay on the island?¡±


    ¡°Will you risk being discovered by humans?¡±


    ¡°Will you be able to forgive the same race that almost destroyed yours?¡±


    The very thought choked him. Forgiveness? Did they really think forgiveness could be an option? Humans had hunted them without mercy, they had used their parts for experiments and potions, the skins of his ancestors had been hung to decorate the great halls of the castles, while the survivors had become slaves, like his grandfather, who, after being freed once the Covenant was settled, had lived long enough so that Silas could hear from his own mouth all those atrocities that caused him horrible nightmares when he was just a cub.


    And Olivia, was she not only a human, but also an elf? If he carried out his revenge, would she understand, or would they end up facing each other?


    But they were not friends. They were temporary allies, and once he left the lake he would terminate their pact.


    ¡°I have not decided,¡± Silas observed how the sirenians narrowed their eyes. ¡°I don''t even know if I will be received by the Archmage either. In fact, I could well end up dead before I reach the island, and I will no longer be a problem for everyone here.¡±


    ¡°Silas...¡± Olivia muttered.


    ¡°I want to know your world, and decide for myself. I have no choice but to keep moving forward.¡±


    At least, that was true. He knew nothing about the Archmage. It was a desperate gamble.


    ¡°What about your traveling companion, what does she think?¡± asked a sirenian.


    ¡°Since we''ve known each other, I haven''t seen any hint of evil in him,¡± replied Olivia with such conviction that it made Silas uncomfortable. ¡°During our journey, he could have abandoned me a thousand times, but he did not.¡±


    The sirenians looked at her with indulgence.


    ¡°You are still very young, but we will take into account the trust you have placed in him¡± agreed one of them.


    ¡°We''ll have to look into this carefully,¡± said another.


    Mantok stepped forward.


    ¡°If my sirenian brothers and my dear partner will allow me, I don''t think it will be necessary to spend all night deciding.¡±


    ¡°This is a very delicate matter, brother, which could disturb the balance we have worked so hard to achieve,¡± replied a sirenian.


    ¡°He is a child, what harm do you expect him to do? Can''t you see that he barely has enough power to keep himself in that form?¡±


    Silas was hurt that the old man called him that, but since he was defending him, he didn''t object.


    ¡°For a hundred years our people have been waiting for a sign from the Mountain Clan, and here it is,¡± Mantok continued. ¡°Do we not fervently wish to end the painful rift that still exists in our kingdom? Or will we continue to pretend that we do not see it? This may be a very small act, but it is the first step.¡±


    ¡°This boy will grow up someday,¡± a sirenian pointed out.


    ¡°And what do you want him to remember as an adult? Do you want him to remember how you denied him your help in a time of need, or do you want him to remember how we opened our arms as the brothers we essentially are? And this girl,¡± he pointed to Olivia, ¡°the one you have called innocent, is an example to us all, abandoning all that was known to her to rescue a stranger just because it was the right thing to do.¡±


    Mantok''s words echoed in the air. Thalassa gave her partner a warm smile.


    ¡°You sound too serious to be yourself, Mantok,¡± commented a sirenian in a sly voice. ¡°You just want to get back to the party. Admit it.¡±


    ¡°Brothers, sisters, you got me,¡± replied Mantok, raising both arms, ¡±Let''s get it over with, I''m getting hungry again!¡±


    This, to Silas'' surprise, aroused laughter in the solemn chiefs.


    Still, they withdrew for a moment to deliberate among themselves. When they returned, Silas knew from the look on Thalassa''s face that they had agreed. His heart began to pound. For a moment he thought he would lose his dog form.


    ¡°We will help you to transform,¡± she told him. ¡°But that will be all. We can''t get any more involved than we already have. We believe, moreover, that your journey alone will be a test of your determination.¡±


    As soon as Silas agreed, the rest of the sirenian chiefs advanced among the rocks, and jumped into the water. Their scales soon began to glow.


    ¡°You must say goodbye now,¡± there was a hint of sadness in Thalassa''s voice.


    Silas stood stunned, unable to move. His own pack had left him behind, he had never had to say goodbye to anyone.


    His back was turned when Olivia hugged him from behind. Discounting that time in the tree, which had been nothing more than an accident, it was the first time she''d ever done it consciously.She rested her head behind his, as she whispered in his ear:


    "Safe travels, Silas. You may not like it, but I''ll be praying to the Nymph, the Dragon, and even the Eternals for you to arrive safe and sound. I''m sure you''ll become the most powerful chimera of all and bring peace to your people and the other races. Oh, and if it''s not too much trouble, I''d appreciate it if you could at least send me a pigeon to let me know you''ve arrived safely, and tell me all about the island so I can be insanely jealous. Of course, you''ll first have to learn to write even if you don''t like it, because I know you won''t want to ask anyone for help."


    Silly girl, thought Silas, you have no idea. And since he couldn''t return the hug in that form, he rubbed his snout against her hands. He could have told her many things too: that he hoped she would resolve everything with her family, that she wouldn''t have to cross paths with that evil elf anymore, that she wouldn''t marry the prince, and that she would find some way to escape to the island. Maybe Numi could help her get there, once everything had calmed down, but he felt foolish just thinking about it.


    After a few brief seconds, she finally let go of him, and her warmth abandoned him. The chimera wished he could turn around to see her face one last time and etch it into his mind, but he feared that it would cause a pain he wasn''t ready to feel.


    He moved behind Thalassa, and jumped after her. The cold water stunned him at first, but at least it was a distraction. Two sirenians approached to help him swim, and they moved away from the rocks until they reached what seemed to be the midpoint between both ends of the lake. In the distance, he saw the lights of the village, and the faint shouts of its inhabitants still immersed in their celebrations.


    He turned his head towards the shore where Olivia had stayed, but he couldn¡¯t see her.


    The sirenians formed a circle around him, each placing a hand on his body, from which golden lines began to emerge, ascending and intertwining to form a spiral of patterns.


    From his position, Silas couldn''t see well what they were doing with his Code, but Thalassa explained how the sirenians used the memory contained in their own Code, a product of their countless sea travels, to transfer a portion that would allow him to generate new patterns on his own and speed up the transformation. However, since these were not his memories, they would eventually dissipate over time.


    ¡°We have chosen a form that will grant you great speed, and prevent you from being attacked by predators,¡± Thalassa explained. ¡°Still, do not feel too confident or push yourself too hard. We found a knot in your Code that I believe explains why you¡¯ve had so much trouble controlling your power.¡±


    ¡°A knot? You mean the Dragon''s seal?¡±


    ¡°This is different and, fortunately, it can be reversed. In the case of chimeras, the Dragon created a seal that limits the degree of transformation they can achieve. It has no other function. However, this knot of yours prevents your energy from flowing freely. Until you untie it, I¡¯m afraid you will continue to have difficulties.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you fix it as you¡¯re doing now?¡±


    ¡°The knot is tied to one of your memories. I can¡¯t know what it is, but I sense great pain. Only you can untie it.¡±


    ¡°I think you could actually do it, but you want me to do it myself... it¡¯s just another test," Silas complained.


    Thalassa smiled.


    ¡°You still have a long way to go, brother Silas, and, like your friend, I foresee greatness.¡±


    The light emanating from the spiral intensified, and Silas noticed the first changes in his body. The texture of his skin began to change, the temperature of the water no longer seemed to bother him, his legs stretched in odd directions, and he experienced a strange sensation as if he were inflating from within.


    However, something distracted him from this most unusual transformation.


    From the village, loud noises like drums began to be heard, although they sounded different from the ones he had heard during the celebration. Focusing on his ears, which were beginning to shrink until they disappeared, he heard desperate screams mixed with those erratic drums.


    As the transformation process came to an end, he observed the faces of the sirenians, who looked confusedly toward the shore.


    Then, he realized.


    Those sounds were not drums.


    They were explosions.

 Chapter 26 - The voice

    The moment Olivia hugged Silas, she wanted to tell him, and everyone around, that she had changed her mind, and they would continue their journey together until the end. The only thing that prevented her from doing so was the fear that she herself might become a hindrance rather than a help. If she were an experienced wizard things would be different.


    But no, she was a witch who had not yet awakened her powers, and to him she should be nothing more than a nuisance.


    Now that she thought about it, they had barely spoken that night, and he hadn''t even said goodbye to her. It was true that he had stood between the girl and her father, but Olivia feared it was more about the animosity he felt towards the Count.


    She watched the lights of the sirenians in the water grow dimmer and dimmer as they moved away to shore.


    Her mission had been accomplished. She could take satisfaction in that.


    ¡°Olivia, sweetheart¡± her father put a hand on her shoulder, and she jumped as if he had burned her.


    ¡°Don''t touch me!¡±


    Pain and indignation mingled in the Count''s eyes.


    ¡°I''ve been looking for you for almost a month! There was no trace of you! It was as if you had vanished into thin air! Put yourself in my place!¡±


    ¡°In your place? Really? When have you ever put yourself in mine? And as worried as you were... you still took the time to come to the lake and visit your other daughter!¡±


    Olivia pointed with an accusatory gesture at Numi, standing between Mantok and Yaritza. The young Sirenian lowered her eyes.


    The Count rubbed his forehead as if making an effort not to lose his temper, and then his voice softened.


    ¡°I hadn''t seen Numi in months... I had to...¡±


    Olivia felt a fire rise in the very center of her chest that threatened to spread, and burn her whole.


    ¡°She always knew! Always! Don''t you realize how cruel you''ve been? A year ago I found out that my mother was alive, and even that she wasn''t the one I thought. Now it turns out that I have a sister!¡±


    ¡°It was all to protect you!¡±


    ¡°How long? How long were you going to protect me? What were you waiting for? What has to happen before you let me live? How many more years? Until the royal family disappeared? Until the kingdom collapsed? Until the chimeras return to repopulate this lands?¡±


    ¡°I wasn''t planning on waiting that long. Everything changed when the king demanded that you marry the prince. I''m sure he suspects... and that''s why he wants you.¡±


    ¡°You could just have told me, you had no reason not to! You just didn''t trust me. I''m probably a monster to you. Daughter of the woman you detest the most.¡±


    ¡°No, never! Never doubt about my love! You are my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Then what? I''m the future Guardian of the Circle! You could have shared your concerns with me.¡±


    ¡°I should have known better, I admit it, I was wrong. It all got out of hand. But now Olivia, let''s go home. Here in the village I can''t protect you. You must go back to Shadowrock and we''ll find a way to deal with all this together.¡±


    Home? Was Shadowrock really her home? Barthra had told her that home was where one felt loved. She didn''t feel that way. No matter how much her father insisted he had done everything for her sake, in Shadowrock she was a prisoner.


    ¡°What about Barthra?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Barthra?¡±


    ¡°I know very well you cast her out! A woman her age! You have no heart!¡±


    ¡°Daephennya...¡±


    She has told me the whole truth.


    ¡°The whole truth? Don''t be naive, Olivia. Why do you think the talisman stopped working just when you saw me arrive?¡±


    ¡°She wanted to show me what you really were!¡±


    ¡°I am a father trying to keep his daughter from being used!¡±


    ¡°She doesn''t care about you! She wants to exploit you! I''m still not sure, but I do suspect she''s behind the engagement.¡±


    Mantok cleared his throat.


    ¡°Count, forgive me for stepping in.¡±


    ¡°So far you''ve done it without asking permission,¡± the Count replied bitingly, but the old chief only smiled.


    ¡°Why don''t you stay for a few days? What''s your hurry?¡±


    ¡°My hurry, Mantok, is the damned elf that, even imprisoned in her forest, has her strings scattered all over the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Daephennya has no power here,¡± replied Mantok proudly. ¡°And we can always ignore the king. We are inside the Circle, after all.¡±


    ¡°The Circle is not without risk. So far peace has been kept by the goodwill of the royal family, but that can change overnight.¡±


    ¡°Don''t underestimate the sirenians. After all, it was thanks to them that the last war was brought to an end.¡±


    The Count shook his head.


    ¡°The old tricks will not work. I shall not put the Lake Tribe at risk.¡±


    ¡°We can defend ourselves. At first glance we look like gentle villagers, but we learn from a young age about the delicate balance between the races.¡±


    ¡°That balance will crumble when someone finds out you let the chimera go.¡±


    ¡°Leave Silas alone, he''s gone!¡± tears overflowed from Olivia''s eyes, and all the air escaped from her lungs. ¡°I don''t want to go back to Shadowrock!¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Alaric turned to her.


    ¡°And what''s your plan? To stay here? To endanger everyone? Mantok, Thalassa, Yaritza, Numi?¡±


    ¡°It''s fine with me if you stay! We can get to know each other better!¡± Numi jumped up anxiously, as she regained her spirits.


    ¡°Damn it, Numi, please, this doesn''t concern you!¡± her father''s voice sounded very abrupt to the sirenian, and she ran off to the water. ¡°Numi!¡±


    ¡°I''ll go, this is not my concern either,¡± said Yaritza with a dry voice, but before going behind her daughter she added. ¡±With you, my Lord, only excuses can be expected.¡±


    ¡°Perfect, let everyone get mad at me!¡± exclaimed Alaric looking at the sky. ¡°Since I''m an easy target!¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry I spoiled your family reunion,¡± mocked Olivia, and ran off in the opposite direction.


    ¡°Olivia! Olivia!¡±


    The girl went through the rocks, which was not easy to do since it was not yet dawn and the moonlight was not strong enough to find a path. But she didn''t care, her body was boiling, she needed to be left alone, to think, to empty her head of all voices other than her own.


    The cries of her father, who continued to call out to her, was getting closer. Desperate, she leapt between two rocks that were a meter away from each other.


    But she miscalculated, and felt her body plunging to what seemed to be a certain death. She let out a scream of terror. In the end, Lady Olivia of Shadowrock, the first witch of Terrarkana, was going to end up with her brains scattered on the rocks of the lake.


    Suddenly, her body stopped falling, and she felt herself floating. She stretched out her arm until she immediately felt the cool surface of the rock. She had narrowly escaped by a miracle.


    ¡°I am glad to find you safe and sound, my Lady,¡± said a man''s voice behind her.


    ¡°Eldrin, it''s really you?¡±


    The solemn old wizard moved his hand, and spun Olivia''s body around until she was standing on both legs again. Next, he brought his palms together, and slammed them apart stretching his arms out to either side. A quick breeze picked up, and ruffled both of their clothes. Small sparkles flashed. The girl realized that the wizard had just created a protective shield.


    Suddenly, her father appeared beside them. Olivia watched as his face distorted in horror as he found Eldrin standing next to her. He tried to smash through the shield, and was repelled by it. He began to move his mouth as if to scream, but Olivia could not hear him. The Count began to hit the shield desperately and the force of the shield made it fall. Mantok appeared, watching the scene with a look of confusion that should not be common for him. The chief approached the Count to help him up. It seemed that no great harm had been done.


    Eldrin watched everything in silence with an impassive air.


    ¡°I don''t understand,¡± said the girl, as she watched her father start shouting again to no avail.


    ¡°Your father and I had a quarrel,¡± Eldrin answered.


    ¡°It was you... you helped me get out of the castle,¡± Olivia felt a little disappointed that she had received assistance after all.


    ¡°But it was your own determination that made it all possible. Now you''ve found out the truth about your father.¡±


    ¡°Did you know that too?¡± she asked in pain.


    ¡°Yes, but I couldn''t go against your father''s wishes. Now that you have taken the first step, I have come to your aid. As you will see, we can talk in confidence.¡±


    ¡°Who is coming?¡± Olivia saw several shadows moving toward them. Suddenly, Mantok and his father fell to their knees, and were surrounded by a small group of wizards that Olivia recognized immediately, for they belonged to the Order of Shadowrock.


    ¡°Eldrin? What is all this?¡±


    To her surprise, Eldrin knelt down and bowed his head, just as the knights in her stories bowed to the king.


    ¡°Your father has lied to you all your life. Do not let him continue to control you. As for me and my subordinates, we are willing to swear allegiance to you as future queen, and take you all the way to the capital. You don''t have to marry the prince if you don''t want to. We can take a more direct route.¡±


    ¡°Direct?¡±


    ¡°Your mother wanted you to accede to power through marriage but I, on the other hand, trust your powers, My Lady.¡±


    ¡°But, Eldrin, I don''t have powers...¡±


    ¡°They are there. I have seen them. Ever since you were a child I have spent my time studying your Code. I tried a thousand times to devise new patterns to awaken them myself but humans, even Masters, have our limits.¡±


    ¡°You studied my Code? And you never told me anything? Why?¡±


    ¡°I really didn''t want to go against your father. My duty was with Shadowrock first,¡± Eldrin lowered his head again. ¡°But as the years went by, I began to doubt more and more about my Lord''s decisions. This old wizard asks you for forgiveness now. But I also needed to understand your power so I could instruct you properly. The magic performed by humans is a mockery compared to the powers you might master one day. In front of your father, I could only teach you how to read the Codes, and a few little tricks, but now I can assume my role properly, and pay my debt to you.¡±


    ¡°I am nothing more than a half elf.¡±


    ¡°Do not belittle yourself, My Lady. You are much more than that. Unlike your mother, Lady Daephennya, you are free of the Dragon curse. Humans, though flawed, carry within their Code the blood of Nemertyss and Yorgad. You, in addition, carry the blood of King Willondal. This is the first time in the history of Terrarkana that a person is descended from the nymph and both ancient kings. The more you master the Codes, the more you will be able to find the patterns that will allow you to access your power.¡±


    ¡°This is too much, Eldrin. The nymph and the kings... disappeared centuries ago. There is nothing left of them.¡±


    ¡°Remember what I taught you: everything remains in the Codes. It is enough to know how to read them. The history of every living being is written in its body. By studying carefully, one can find traces, marks, routes to the past, the collective memory that resides in each one of us. But very few reach such a level. Without the Dragon''s Seal, I believe that even you could access the power of creation.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°Creation, My Lady! You will create new creatures from nothing like your grandfather!¡±


    ¡°Is that what you want me for, Eldrin, to create an army?¡± Olivia asked and the disgust was evident in her voice as the wizard looked at her in confusion.


    ¡°My Lady?¡±


    ¡°Where are you planning to take me?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking of going back to the forest. We will be safe in Serenity Glade. Protected from your father and the king.¡±


    ¡°To the mother who abandoned me?¡±


    ¡°But, My Lady, your mother did what was best for you.¡±


    ¡°You sound just like Daephennya. Since when have you been plotting with her? Since when have you wanted to use me?¡±


    ¡°Use you, never, my Lady, but serve you!¡±


    ¡°My father, my mother and now you! There is no one in this world who truly cares!¡±


    Eldrin stood up. His gaze was no longer that of a faithful servant but had hardened to resemble that of a father whose offspring would not abide by his will.


    ¡°I see that you will need some time that we don''t have at the moment. I will then make the decision for you. Forgive me, My Lady, I hope one day you will understand.¡±


    He raised his hand towards her, making it clear what he was about to do.


    As soon as she saw this, Olivia felt the heat that was suffocating her explode inside her own body. She was about to fall, but something held her back. She looked up at Eldrin, but it hadn''t been him.


    He was in fact staring at her transfixed. Olivia felt something in her hands, and looked down. Her pale skin was glowing. Small sparks popped, and were followed by red flames that spread over her body, without burning her. She felt as shocked as the wizard must have been, but that wasn''t enough to extinguish her anger.


    Then something grabbed her from behind. She felt like the scene she was in was getting farther and farther away, as if someone was dragging her towards the back of a room, and she was watching everything from afar. She saw herself engulfed in flames, head held high, as determined as she had ever seen herself. Her blue eyes seemed to shine brighter, like two sapphires reflecting the sunlight.


    A deep, calm voice was heard.


    ¡°You arrogant bastard.¡±


    Eldrin looked at her stunned.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The old wizard''s eyes were fixed on her, but Olivia had said nothing. However, it seemed that the voice had been born from herself. She tried to speak, but could not be heard, just like her father on the other side of the shield who watched what was happening with disoriented eyes, as well as Mantok and the rest of the wizards holding them back.


    ¡°You are not Olivia, your essence is different,¡± said the old wizard.


    ¡°You said it yourself,¡± replied the voice. ¡°Everything remains in the Codes.¡±


    Olivia watched helplessly as her own hand rose, and pointed at the wizard.A flash blinded her as a powerful flame emerged, and shattered the shield into pieces.


    The last thing she heard was her father screaming her name, and then everything went dark.

 Chapter 27 - The Battle of the Lake

    Not understanding what was happening inside the shield, Alaric watched in panic as Olivia''s skin became shiny and then pointed at Eldrin. It all happened in a second. It was as if the dawn had come early, and the sun was rushing down on them. He heard the crack of the shield breaking, and he, Mantok and the wizards who had caught them by surprise, were catapulted by the shockwave caused by his own daughter.


    His back slammed into one of the rocks. The impact knocked the air out of him, but he was lucky enough not to hit his head. He lay on his side feeling the wetness of the sand on his face and trying to breathe slowly and deeply, while with great effort he tried to move his numb but not broken limbs.


    His eyes were wide open, but he couldn''t see anything, not even the moon. He feared that the brightness had blinded him, but gradually he got used to the darkness again and purple spots appeared scattered behind the clouds announcing the beginning of dawn. His ears were also slow to perceive the chaos around him. Screams. He could not distinguish whether of war or fear, of men or women, perhaps the very wizards of his own castle who had betrayed him. There could be no other explanation. Eldrin had been waiting all that time for the opportunity to leave the castle, and find Olivia. And the Count, again, had served it to him on a platter.


    He cursed himself for not foreseeing that. Being among friends, he even have left his sword in the care of Cormac, who was waiting for him in the camp they had set up near the village.


    He didn''t understand what was happening. He didn''t know whether to be relieved that Olivia had stood up to Eldrin, or despair that she was now wandering around looking like that. In a matter of seconds his daughter had revealed a side of her self that he was completely unaware of. Her magic seemed to have reached the level of a Master, or might even have surpassed it. Were those the powers of a descendant of the elves? He had taken Eldrin at his word, when he had stated that his daughter manifested no special ability for magic, that she seemed to be just another Initiate like so many other common humans beginning their studies in the Ethereal Codes.


    Would Leander have betrayed him too? He shook his head, not Leander, not his childhood friend. He would never do anything against Cormac either, unless his captain was also part of the plan, and was now searching for him among the chaos to put him to death at the first chance. If the same wizard who had so faithfully served his father all his life had been deceiving him what could


    he expect from the rest?


    A few feet away from him, he heard the faint cries of Mantok. Alaric managed to sit up slowly, experiencing twinges of pain with each movement. He followed the sound of chief''s voice until he almost bumped into him lying on the ground.


    ¡°Mantok, where are you hurt?¡±


    The old man let out a shriek that didn''t sound like words. Alaric felt his body, and when he reached his head he felt a warm, viscous liquid. The smell of blood flooded his nose.


    He had to find Olivia, but he couldn''t leave Mantok alone in that state.


    ¡°Help! Help!¡±


    He screamed several times, and with each scream that came out of his mouth the anxiety grew stronger. He could almost feel his chest closing in on him as so many times when he was a child.


    ¡°Help! Somebody! Help!¡±


    He had to make a decision. He couldn''t wait any longer.


    But then a couple of voices gave him hope again.


    He had feared that wizards would have run into them.


    ¡°Alaric!¡±


    ¡°Papa! Grandpa!¡±


    Both sirenians, confused and terrified, came running up to the two men. Alaric felt Yaritza''s cool hands wrap around his face, and bring him relief like cool water on a sweltering hot day. She pressed her forehead to his, he grabbed her arms.


    ¡°I''m all right. Your father... he''s hurt.¡±


    Numi was already at her grandfather''s side when Yaritza broke away from Alaric and crouched beside Mantok. The two women placed their hands on the old man, and a golden glow began to shine.


    ¡°Can you heal his body?¡± asked Alaric.


    ¡°It will depend on the damage, he has many wounds, some of them deep,¡± answered Yaritza with a tense voice. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°What happened to Olivia?¡± Numi asked anxiously.


    ¡°We were ambushed by Eldrin and other wizards of the Order of the Shadowrock. They betrayed me.¡±


    Both women looked at each other in disbelief.


    ¡°And now?¡± Yaritza asked.


    ¡°From the screams, they must be running towards the village. I have to go there. Olivia must have gone in that direction too.¡±


    Yaritza frowned.


    ¡°That doesn''t make sense, Shadow. What''s the point of...?¡±


    ¡°She''s been kidnapped?¡± Numi shrieked.


    Alaric didn''t feel up to lying anymore.


    ¡°No, it''s more complicated.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Yaritza insisted.


    ¡°I don''t know myself, to tell you the truth. You''ll have to trust me this time,¡± Alaric started walking away.


    ¡°I''ve always trusted you, after so many years that should have been clear,¡± Yaritza murmured.


    ¡°I will go with you!¡± said Numi.


    ¡°Your mother needs you more than I do. Focus on healing your grandfather.¡±


    ¡°He is right, Numi, his injuries are severe. I need your power as well.¡±


    The young sirenian gave in to her mother''s plea, and turned her eyes to Mantok who was trying hard to speak but was unable to do so.


    Alaric ran along the shore stretching his legs like a runaway horse, although he was forced to stop at times due to a pain he felt in his side. He could be bleeding to death inside, but he couldn''t worry about that now.


    Suddenly, a glow lightened the vicinity of the wooden huts. He heard explosions and more screams. Some huts began to catch fire, and burn like a pile of parchment in the fireplace.


    It made no sense for Eldrin to attack the village. He should have run away without anyone seeing him.


    But maybe it hadn''t been Eldrin.


    And he was right. Following the trail of charred huts and new explosions, Alaric came to an empty space where he encountered the blue-robed girl, who was unceremoniously firing fireballs left and right at the attacking wizards. Even so, her rigid posture was very calm, as if she was consciously making each attack and not out of desperation.


    He had never seen that kind of magic. The most powerful attacks of the magicians consisted of nothing more than shockwaves and the use of shields to ram their opponents. Now all they could do was to use the shields to repel Olivia''s attacks, whose fireballs bounced and crashed against the huts that soon burned.


    Eldrin also found himself with his hands in a defensive position, and every now and then he would take the chance to launch an attack when Olivia was distracted by one of his subordinates. Like the rest, the Master''s red tunic looked singed, to the point of resembling mere rags. His breathing was heavy, and he was noticeably losing his strength. Alaric had never seen him like this, not even when he had once attended a magic tournament in Nemertya where the old wizard, without ever losing his dignity, had been defeated by Rovenna Astra who would soon after become the Master Arcanist.


    ¡°Lady Olivia! Don''t force me to fight, I beg you! Please come with me! We are on your side!¡±


    Olivia''s lips opened, but the voice he heard was not that of his daughter.


    ¡°You don''t see, foolish wizard, that I don''t need you.¡±


    It was a deep, resonant voice, like a chorus of otherworldly beings whose voices enveloped him from various points.


    The Master fell to his knees after avoiding a fireball that exploded against his invisible shield. After that he failed to get up on his own.


    ¡°Though you may still serve my purposes. That''s why I''ll let you keep your life,¡± Olivia said and continued on her way.


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    Two wizards came to lift Eldrin from the ground. Alaric would have loved to kill him right there, but he had no weapon or magical power to face the others who seemed to have given up as well. He continued running after Olivia who barely swinging her legs seemed to be moving much faster than him.


    From one side he saw members of the tribe appear, both humans and sirenians, running with spears and arrows towards Olivia. Some belonged to Yaritza''s family. Before the Count begged them not to attack her for their own safety, she repelled them with a single swipe sending them flying through the air and falling among the black debris of the huts. Some sirenians came to their defense moving their hands and making waves emerge from the shore that took the form of various animals that charged against the wizards, but when they reached Olivia she simply crushed them.


    The rest of the tribe ran towards the hills or jumped into the water seeking shelter, while the smoke covered almost the entire village, and continued to expand beyond the shore.No matter what Mantok said, they were not aggressive beings. The sirenians had been created by the Dragon to save others from danger and act as healers. They did not even possess magical abilities that would serve them well in a battle, let alone one as unusual as that one.


    ¡°Olivia!¡± Alaric shouted so loudly that his lungs burned. ¡°Stop it! The people! Why are you doing this?¡±


    The girl turned to face him. The Count was stunned to discover those eyes shining in an unnatural way, like two blue stars that had come down from the sky.


    ¡°If you want to live, Count, stay away. She begged me not to do anything to you.¡±


    That could not be.


    ¡°You are not my daughter.¡±


    She did not answer, and continued to advance towards the water, as if she were heading for the promontory.


    ¡°I don''t know what you are, but if you don''t leave her body now...!¡±


    ¡°You are nothing.¡±


    Olivia reached out her hand and a shockwave caused Alaric to fall backwards.


    ¡°I am Olivia and she is me. I exist from the very moment she took her first breath in this world. Whatever happens to me, happens to her.¡±


    Alaric sat up with his legs shaking from the exertion.


    ¡°What has the Lake Tribe done to you?¡±


    The strange being ignored him again, and continued on her way to the promontory.Alaric was about to continue behind her, but a hand grabbed his arm forcefully, and prevented him from doing so. He was about to fight back with blows, until he realized it was Cormac.


    ¡°My Lord,¡± the agitated captain held out his sword. ¡°Thanks to the Nymph you are well.¡±


    Alaric took the sword, and forced him to release him with a push.


    ¡°Order the soldiers to help the tribe evacuate, and you head for that area,¡± he pointed to the place where the meeting of the chiefs had taken place. ¡°There you will find Yaritza, Numi and Mantok, who is seriously wounded. I entrust you with their protection, and that of their entire family. I know I am asking too much of you, but I cannot abandon Olivia.¡±


    ¡°What will happen to you?¡±


    ¡°Do as I said, Cormac!¡±


    ¡°My Lord,¡± with that Cormac took his leave, and ran with his sword in hand to where his lord had pointed it at him.


    ¡°You are pathetic,¡± said that voice coming from the body of his daughter, who remained with her back to him. ¡°Your sword is nothing more than a mere toy in the face of my power.¡±


    ¡°I will not leave without my daughter,¡± said Alaric, brandishing his sword with both hands.


    She continued to move forward without responding to the provocation. Alaric watched as her body rose and floated above the surface of the lake, while the water was already reaching his waist.


    Olivia stopped and, still suspended in mid-air, stretched out her hand again with her palm pointing towards the promontory that indicated the location of the Dragon''s tomb. Her body was illuminated by a glow that emanated from her, and like a shooting star it fired against the rocks.


    A thunderous blast reverberated across the lake, as the promontory crumbled and its remains sank to the bottom, disappearing completely as if it had never existed. All that was left were violent surges that washed ashore.


    ¡°Is all this because of the Dragon?¡± Alaric asked, raising his voice, as he withstood the force of a wave that suddenly hit him.


    Olivia turned around, and gave him a tight smile, devoid of emotion.


    ¡°Ask the woman to whom I owe my existence.¡±


    ¡°Daephennya.¡±


    ¡°I owe you a debt as well, so go away. Do not force me to show ungratefulness.¡±


    Silently, Alaric raised his sword again.


    ¡°Your daughter is crying. Her own father wants to hurt her,¡± the voice lamented falsely.


    ¡°I know my daughter. Do what you have to do. If I have to follow you to the ends of the earth and abandon my land, my family, my title, my identity, I''ll do it. You''d better erase me now. Olivia, if you are there, forgive me. I will right all the wrong I have done to you. It has come to this because of me.¡±


    ¡°Is this the fate you have chosen for yourself?¡±


    ¡°I''d rather die right here than have you take her away.¡±


    Olivia pointed her hand at him. Alaric felt fear rise inside him. He wanted to close his eyes as he waited for the impact, but he held up his sword tightly clenching the hilt to ignore the trembling in his hands. Another part of him wanted to laugh. That unknown being wasn''t so wrong. He was nothing. He was a sickly child who by sheer luck had become a Count and had spent his life pretending to be something he was not. Since his father''s death he had been wrong about everything. He had failed both Yaritza, as well as his innocent wife Irina, he had allowed himself to be manipulated by a damned elf, he had driven Barthra away, he had made Numi unhappy, and he had ruined Olivia''s life.


    Useless, useless child, I wish you had never been born. Despite his forgiveness, his father''s harsh voice still echoed in his memories. It had been nothing but a circle of pain, and at the center of it was himself.


    All he could do now was give up, and wait for a miracle.


    A new glow shone from his daughter''s hand, and she turned to him.Don''t close your eyes, Alaric told himself, may Olivia be the last thing you see in this life.


    But the light blinded him, and everything went white.


    That was the end of it all. Now he died as what he had always been: a terrified little boy who every night in his bed waited for death to take him.


    ¡°No!¡±


    Alaric''s heart skipped a beat.


    That simple word had been uttered by a voice that no longer belonged to the mysterious being, but to his daughter. In front of Alaric everything remained white, but he felt nothing much except warmth.


    Suddenly, the whiteness receded, and returned to its point of origin. Devastated, Alaric watched as the glow hit Olivia''s body, and she plummeted unconscious into the water. Alaric threw down his sword, and dived for his daughter. He managed to grab her by the foot in time, before she continued on her way into the dark depths of the lake, but he was exhausted, and his body struggled to reach the surface.


    Suddenly, lights of all colors flashed around him and several sirenians, including Numi, caught hold of him and Olivia, and did not let go until they reached the shore.


    ¡°Is she breathing?¡± Alaric asked Numi, holding his own breath, and the sirenian reassured him by nodding as she rested both hands on her sister.


    Olivia began to cough and expel water. The Count could not repress the impulse to hug her and kiss her forehead. His daughter did not resist, although perhaps it must have been because she had not yet fully regained consciousness. Alaric didn''t mind, as long as she was all right. He stretched an arm toward Numi, and pulled her to them.


    The sun was rising. The first rays were breaking through the rolling peaks of the hills. After so many years, he now had his two daughters together and in his arms, no less.


    He could die peacefully right there.


    But there was still much to do.


    Out of the corner of his eye, he watched Eldrin advance with the help of other wizards through the thick smoke that still pervaded the shore. The exhausted sirenians around them stood in front of them as a shield. Others had rushed to help the rest of the villagers to extinguish the flames by manipulating with their hands the water that fell in the form of rain on the burning huts. The more experienced ones created horses and other creatures made of water that ran off to the areas farthest from the shore. He wondered how many of them had seen Olivia in that state.Alaric had to end the hug, and stepped between the sirenians and the wizards. In the distance, he watched as Cormac and several of his men approached them.


    Another fight was about to break out, but the Count wanted to prevent more damage than had already been done. The Lake Tribe had lost all its possessions, and would have to be rebuilt from scratch. All his mistakes had led to that disaster.


    "Surrender, Eldrin, you are badly wounded.¡±


    ¡°Your calculations are wrong, Count. My power is still intact, and there are still many wizards following me. Shadowrock is under my control now. Hand over your daughter, and we will avoid unnecessary deaths.¡±


    Alaric had lost his sword. He had to wait for Cormac, but he seemed far away still. Smoke from the fire filled the air, and caused the sirenians to start coughing. Meanwhile, the wizards were advancing towards them, and Alaric knew it would take them mere seconds to get their hands on Olivia again. He turned to his daughters, and covered them with his arms as a human shield.


    ¡°If you are listening, Blue Dragon,¡± the Count pleaded, ¡°punish these wizards who have invaded your resting place.¡±


    Suddenly, he heard more distant but approaching screams. Alaric raised his head, and looked for their origin.


    Despite the imminent attack, he could not contain his surprise. At full speed down one of the slopes, one of his own carriages was hurtling down, with the shield of Shadowrock carved on it, though he and his men had made the entire journey on horseback.


    The most curious thing was that it seemed to be moving on its own, without horses. At first he thought it was simply falling, but no, it was moving forward at full speed, as if pushed by an invisible force, and when it reached the lowest part of the hill it continued moving in the directions of the traitors, who were so stupefied at such a scene, that, when the carriage reached them with the speed of a whirlwind, it was too late for them to react.


    In fact, as the artifact approached, an endless line of shockwaves shot out of it, fired by what seemed to be four other wizards. Three of them he did not recognize, and the fourth was none other than Leander.


    ¡°Korinna, damn it, stop this thing!¡± shouted one of the women who was supposed to be driving the vehicle, but had lost control of it. She seemed familiar though.


    ¡°We can''t! The force of the seals is too strong!¡± shouted the other one.


    And so it was that the carriage, as fast as a lightning strike, rammed the group of traitorous wizards, and did not stop until it was floating in the water of the lake, apparently no longer powered.


    Meanwhile, Cormac and his men had arrived on the scene, and formed a defense around the Count and his daughters. The sirenians, taking advantage of the confusion of the wizards, raised great waves that struck the traitors who had escaped the onslaught of the carriage.


    The four wizards who had come in the cursed carriage emerged from the water to deal with the others who had been left unconscious on the shore. Alaric searched with his eyes for Eldrin''s body, but did not find it. There was still a lot of smoke around. He must be unconscious somewhere.


    Without wasting any time, his unexpected saviors pulled out several chains that must have been those with the annulling seals, since they began to immobilize with them the wizards lying on the sand who offered no great resistance.


    He left Olivia in Numi''s care, and approached them.


    A skinny and weak-looking man, though with a strong voice, exclaimed:


    ¡°My name is Myrius Sentos, and I am the Master Leader of the Chimera Protection Task Force Unit!¡±


    Alaric stopped in his tracks.


    What had he just said?


    The Master Leader continued.


    ¡°By the authority of the Council of Wizards you are hereby detained for conspiring against the Guardian of the Circle, perpetrating an attack against the Lake Tribe, as well as attempting to kidnap the only chimera known to exist! You will be conducted to the capital to stand trial before the High Arcane Tribunal who will be the one to dictate your punishment!¡±


    Just hearing that, the Count could begin to feel the twinge of a coming headache.

 Chapter 28 - The encounter and the farewell

    Myrius Sentos could not believe what he had just said, and, as soon as he did, he ran out of breath. He didn''t know if it was because of the shock, the effort of trying to convey authority or because of the smoke that covered everything like a dense fog.


    He covered his mouth, and began to cough.


    ¡°Well said, Master Leader!¡± Korinna shouted, raising her fist as the group took the traitors into custody.


    Myrius looked around at the devastating sight. The last time he had been to the lake was when he was just an Acolyte, and his memories were very different. There seemed to be nothing left of the colorful huts with their small open courtyards that had now been reduced to a plain blanket of ash.


    When he looked down at the lake there seemed to be something strange about it, and he suddenly realized that the promontory had disappeared. How was that possible?


    He noticed the scattered pieces of the magicar floating in the water like the remains of a shipwreck. He still could not believe everything that had happened in the last few hours.


    Once Leander had confessed to them that, in fact, a chimera had been captured in the castle of Shadowrock, adding to that the escape of the Count''s daughter, and the attack of the Elementals, all the pieces fell into place perfectly.


    The first thing they had to do was to find out where Eldrin might have gone. They assumed that he must have followed the tracks of the Count''s daughter, but there had been no news of the girl for weeks. They then went down to the dungeon to question the detained wizards, who, of course, would not cooperate, and remained silent in a stoic attitude.


    Fidelia, quite impatient, did not take long to open the collar of her robe, and show the scars of her cross seal. Many of them turned their heads, unable to hide their disgust. This was the worst punishment for a wizard. Death was preferable to suffering such disgrace.


    ¡°This, ladies and gentlemen, is what happens when you go against the Council. I can assure you that you will never forget the pain. The process is not quick at all. The executioners take their time to finish and make each cut be felt. Even today, after so many years, I still feel it every time I look at this. At first, once recovered, you will not accept it, and even forget that you can no longer do magic, and every time you try, the seal will activate, and if you hadn''t wished to die already, you will want it then. You will be immobilized for a long time while you feel a thousand knives digging into your skin as if someone was trying to remove your insides. And believe me when I tell you that it will happen to you many times, until you resign yourself to live like a normal human being. But, if you cooperate, we''ll say that you were just deceived by Eldrin, and that all this was nothing more than a misunderstanding.


    After that speech, and despite some protests that were silenced, one of the younger wizards spoke up. Eldrin was heading to the lake.


    Leander was not convinced. It made no sense to him.


    ¡°His Excellency should also be arriving at the lake by now. He never have missed the celebration. It would be illogical for Olivia to go there and risk running into him.¡±


    However, the same wizard who had confessed added that Eldrin had received a message asking him to go to the lake as soon as possible.


    ¡°A message from whom?¡± Fidelia asked. ¡°Who else could be involved in this?¡±


    The wizard could not answer that. Eldrin had not told them everything.


    Despite the doubts, staying in the castle didn''t solve anything, so they had to move. Myrius hoped they could at least meet the Count, and question him about the chimera.


    Fidelia shook her head as they went back up the stairs.


    ¡°Master Myrius, our priority is Eldrin.¡±


    ¡°But we are...!¡±


    ¡°I know, but that''s not the real goal.¡±


    Myrius stood his ground.


    ¡°You, Fidelia, have your own mission, I respect that. But even if you and Rovenna Astra don''t like it, I was given a very different one, and I will go all the way.¡±


    She smiled at him.


    ¡°I can''t deny that I really enjoy thinking about Rovenna''s face when she finds out.¡±


    ¡°Will the Council really be so benevolent when you tell them that...?¡± Korinna started asking, already far away from the dungeon.


    Fidelia''s smile took on a sadistic shade.


    ¡°No, they are already doomed before they even set foot on the court floor.¡±


    They had to move fast, but Eldrin had already taken all the horses available in the castle. All that was left were carriages and carts.


    ¡°Can you create new plates to be embedded in a carriage?¡± Fidelia asked Korinna.


    The other sighed.


    ¡°I can. But we''ll have the same problem. A common metal will not withstand the pressure of the seal, and we will be forced to make several stops along the way. I can''t be sure we''ll make it in time.¡±


    Leander didn''t understand anything, and after Korinna explained his bumpy ride with the magicar his eyes lit up.


    ¡°I have exactly what you need!¡±


    The wizards of Shadowrock liked to experiment to the extreme of almost blowing up the entire castle, but something good had come out of it. He and the Count had kept secret for years a project to create a metal that would resist magical power and create new weapons and armors that was in its final stages.


    The three wizards of the Task Force did not understand why the Count would want to develop new types of weapons in a time of peace, but they failed to delve into the matter in view of Leander''s enthusiastic explanations, added to Korinna''s amazement when he showed her the famous metal, called "arcantio", made with materials extracted from the mountain, and slowly modified with magic through a long process. The inventor kept caressing those shiny silver pieces as if she had just been handed a basket full of puppies.


    Actually, it took longer to create the new plates and place them in the carriage than it did to travel the distance between Shadowrock and the lake. While Leander and Myrius adjusted the plates, Korinna hastily fabricated a sort of steering wheel to facilitate the movement. Since Fidelia couldn''t perform magic, she would be in charge of driving, so the others would have their hands free in case it was necessary to defend against any kind of attack.


    And it worked. What would have taken two days, they did it in almost three hours. It had not been easy due to the state of the roads, which did not lend themselves to vehicles of that type, and all along the way they were afraid that the wheels would turn to sawdust, and they would be hurled through the air like projectiles from a catapult.


    Well, that had almost happened. The wheels held, if barely, and Leander''s metal and Korinna''s seals combined to create a vehicle as fast as had ever been seen in those lands.


    Perhaps too fast.


    This time Korinna had exaggerated with the power of the seal. Fidelia realized that once the seals were activated. It was impossible to stop it. Like a shooting star they crossed the roads, fields and hills, barely managing to see what was around them. In their haste they had made the mistake of not waiting for dawn. It had seemed to them that it would be enough to carry a couple of incandescent stones that they tied to the front of the carriage.


    It was hell. For almost three hours they did not stop screaming and holding on tightly to anything they could, so as not to be blown away by the force of the wind that the same magicar produced when moving at such speed.


    And so they finally tumbled down the hills and flaming huts that surrounded the lake, hoping that the magicar would hit something to die at once and put an end to that torture. However, as this was happening, Fidelia was able to realize the fight that was about to break out. She gave the steering wheel a sharp turn, and rammed into those who must be the traitorous wizards, or at least she had hoped so, otherwise she would have a lot of explaining to do.


    As for the magicar, once in the water, it could not withstand the pressure, and fell apart into pieces.


    It had all gone well in the end, Myrius thought, satisfied. However, the fear of being deceived again had not abandoned him. What if all that business of the chimera had been nothing more than a scheme of that Leander who only wanted to rescue his Lord? After all, Rovenna Astra had tricked him as easily as he were an innocent child.


    ¡°Alaric!¡± Leander walked past him, and advanced towards a tall, burly man coming towards them. He was dressed like just another villager, with his clothes damp and soiled with ash.


    ¡°Leander, my friend,¡± the man shook his hand, and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°What happened to Shadowrock?¡±


    ¡°They are all safe, except that we have a few wizards imprisoned in the dungeon. I''ve left Harald in charge... I couldn''t help but come. I needed to know what was going on here.¡±


    ¡°How many wizards?¡±


    ¡°Of the Masters... all of them. Several Acolytes,¡± Leander lowered his head, as if ashamed. ¡°The Order, as we know it, has disappeared, except for me and a few Initiates, whose involvement we cannot yet rule out. And all this happens when I just...¡±


    ¡°This has been planned by Eldrin for I don''t know how long. He fooled me too,¡± the Count raised his eyes above Leander''s head. ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°Eldrin?¡± Leander looked towards Fidelia who, like Myrius, was observing the scene.


    She shook her head upset.


    ¡°He is not here.¡±


    The Count approached them.


    ¡°Fidelia Dabrus?¡± he asked confused.


    ¡°My Lord,¡± Fidelia lowered her head as a greeting.


    ¡°I thought you...¡±


    ¡°Long story, long story,¡± she said shaking her tired hand. ¡°In short, it is Rovenna Astra''s fault... So... Eldrin did all this? Why? What did he gain by attacking the Lake Tribe?¡±


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    The Count didn''t bother to answer, and began to give orders.


    ¡°We must find him now! Cormac!¡±


    ¡°My Lord!¡± the Captain ran up to him, and stopped abruptly. ¡°Leander? And Fidelia?¡±


    ¡°Hello, Cormac...¡± she raised her hand timidly.


    ¡°No time! Split the men into two groups!¡± ordered the Count. ¡°One to set up camp to care for the wounded and the homeless, and the other to search for Eldrin. He must not have gone far in that state. Leander, take charge of clearing this smoke away.¡±


    The shore stirred again as everyone carried out their own tasks. The soldiers dispersed as the Count had ordered. Leander asked Korinna for help in creating air waves to push the smoke away. Fidelia began to interrogate the wizards, and it didn''t take long for her cross seal to show. She even seemed to enjoy watching their horrified faces.


    Myrius managed to catch a glimpse of a pair of sirenians who were tending to a girl lying on the sand.


    ¡°Master Leader,¡± the Count stepped up to Myrius.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Myrius gulped at his commanding presence. He had heard rumors every time the man visited the Council. The wizards didn''t like the arrogant way he treated them at all, but he was the Guardian of the Circle, and they owed him respect. Now he was looking at him so closely, his blue eyes seemed as cold as ice.


    ¡°Did I hear correctly?¡± asked the nobleman.


    ¡°Milord?¡±


    ¡°Chimera Protection Task Force?¡±


    ¡°Ah... that... well, yes, that''s my team,¡± Myrius couldn''t help but sound a bit proud.


    Suddenly, out of nowhere, behind the Count, Myrius felt a strange presence. He looked toward the water. At some distance he seemed to notice a tremor, something dark that moved and then backed away. He stepped carefully forward, and plunged a hand from which golden lines began to emerge and slithered like snakes through the water until they got lost from sight.


    It couldn''t be, it couldn''t be. Calm down, calm down, Myrius Sentos. His heart was about to stop, and he was about to die right there.


    The wizard looked at the Count straight in the eyes. The latter watched him with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡°Count... tell me the truth.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±


    Myrius wanted to ask a question, but instead he made his own answer.


    ¡°It''s true, there was a chimera in the castle.¡±


    The Count let out an exhalation.


    ¡°There is no point in denying it. Somehow, the Council has found out, and now you are here. Anyway, he''s gone, you''re too late to go after him.¡±


    Myrius closed his eyes, savoring the triumph.


    ¡°No, no, he''s not gone.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°He''s still there, frozen,¡± Myrius gritted his teeth and clenched his fists to calm the trembling of his body. ¡°I don''t... I don''t know why... but it looks like he''s waiting for something.¡±


    The Count looked down at the water.


    ¡°Chimera protection then?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What''s that about?¡±


    ¡°Well... that''s... under discussion, actually.¡±


    ¡°Explain.¡±


    Myrius had a feeling that only by coming clean with that man would he have any chance of seeing the chimera with his own eyes, and that was what he wanted most in the world. So much did he want it, that he felt no fear at the thought of betraying Rovenna Astra and risking ending up with a cross seal just like Fidelia.


    But magic or no magic, Fidelia Dabrus was an exceptional person. They had come so far because of her, so it didn''t seem wrong for Myrius to follow in her footsteps.


    Besides, Rovenna thought that chimeras were extinct, so for him that didn''t count.


    As best he could, he explained to the Count about Rovenna''s plan, skipping the part where she had deceived him, as if he had known all along that the Task Force was a sham.


    The eager Count turned around.


    ¡°Come with me. If you try anything weird, I won''t hesitate to run you through with my sword.¡±


    Myrius panicked, forgetting for a moment that he was a wizard, and therefore was capable of defending himself against such attacks, but the Count looked so angry for some reason that he seemed capable of doing anything.


    Before they reached the group of sirenians, someone shouted from behind them.


    ¡°Shadow!¡±


    Myrius''s mouth dropped open at the sight of that beautiful sirenian who threw herself at the Count to hug and kiss him with a passion worthy of a theatrical scene.


    Perhaps it was time for him to move. He could help rebuild the village.


    It took a few seconds for the couple to separate. Myrius didn''t know what to do, and kept his eyes down.


    ¡°Your father?¡± asked the Count.


    ¡°My mother is tending to him. He seems to be recovering.¡±


    ¡°Good. I need your family to head back to camp. You and Numi can stay.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°You''ll know soon.¡±


    The sirenian did as he asked, while the two of them stood waiting.


    ¡°Myrius Sentos, why have you told me all this?¡±


    Myrius inhaled deeply before answering.


    ¡°My priority is to protect the chimeras. They are wonderful creatures. We wizards committed a terrible injustice against them.¡±


    ¡°Even if you have to bypass the Master Arcanist? The Conclave?¡±


    ¡°Yes, even the Conclave.¡±


    ¡°If they find out...¡±


    ¡°Then I''ll be free, and find another trade. I always wanted to visit the mountains.¡±


    The Count watched him attentively, and Myrius puffed out his chest, trying to appear confident in a way he was far from feeling.


    ¡°There are several things I would like Rovenna Astra not to know,¡± said the Count. I will reward you for it.


    ¡°There is no need to bribe me. I...¡±


    ¡°Think of it as an incentive. If you really want to protect chimeras...¡±


    ¡°Of course I do!¡±


    ¡°Then you''ll have no problem complying with what I''m going to ask of you.¡±


    On the shore remained now only two sirenians and the human girl resting her head on the legs of one of them.


    ¡°How is she?¡± asked the Count to the younger sirenian in such a gentle way that it took Myrius by surprise.


    ¡°Better, but tired,¡± she replied. ¡°We have infused her with some energy, and she is slowly beginning to regain her strength.¡±


    The Count knelt down, took the girl in his arms, but instead of heading towards where the camp should be, he continued in the opposite direction away from what was left of the village.


    ¡°We have to hurry. I don''t want anyone else to see,¡± he told them.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± asked again the sirenian who, from her resemblance, Myrius thought must be the other''s mother.


    ¡°Clean up this mess.¡±


    They reached a rocky area. Gently, the man laid the girl on a huge stone with a smooth surface. Myrius had already recognized her as the famous Lady Olivia who had escaped with the chimera. He would have liked to ask her so many questions, and even congratulate her on her courage, but the presence of her father intimidated him.


    ¡°Yaritza, do you sense him too?¡± asked the nobleman to the sirenian.


    She smiled and nodded.


    ¡°I sense him, too!¡± exclaimed the other.


    The wizard approached the water. Golden lines shot out of his hand again and faded away under the water.


    ¡°He... he followed us,¡± Myrius'' heart was about to explode.


    ¡°Silas!¡± shouted the Count.


    ¡°Silas?¡± Olivia said softly, as she raised her head from the ground.


    Suddenly, a dark shape emerged from the water. The head appeared first, black and rounded, with white spots on both sides starting just where two small eyes were located that seemed to watch them with suspicion. It was followed by a tall, stout dorsal fin that emerged behind. The creature''s body was massive, and its skin glowed reflecting the sunlight.


    ¡°Olivia! What happened? Someone destroyed the promontory!¡± exclaimed the animal, splashing water with its thick fins, and Myrius fell backwards as if someone had pushed it.


    ¡°Silas! What have you become?¡± the girl got up with the help of her father.


    The creature shook its head in annoyance.


    ¡°Well, can''t you see? I''m a whale!¡±


    The girl narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°I''ve seen drawings of whales, none of them look like this.¡±


    ¡°Well, the sirenians told me I was a whale, and they surely know more about the sea than you and your stupid books!¡±


    The young sirenian, who later Myrius learned her name was Numi, let out a laugh.


    ¡°We call them orcas, and they are actually a type of dolphin,¡± she explained. ¡°They''re also known as killer whales, but in reality they''re usually friendly.¡±


    ¡°See? I''m a killer whale! You must fear me! And I am not friendly at all!¡± the chimera exclaimed proudly, ignoring a part of what Numi had said.


    Olivia raised her eyebrows.


    ¡°Well, fine, this time you win.¡±


    ¡°Of course I win, I''m the terror of the seas!¡±


    Numi laughed again.


    ¡°Not quite... There are far worse things lurking in the depths.¡±


    ¡°I''m huge! I''ve never been this huge before!¡±


    Myrius crawled on the ground, too weak to stand on his legs. He bowed his head like a servant meeting his king for the first time. He felt so suffocated that when he spoke, his voice sounded as if a duck were trying to talk.


    ¡°Mister Chimera!¡±


    ¡°Who is this?¡± asked the chimera, stepping back a bit. ¡°He dresses like a wizard.¡±


    ¡°My name is Myrius Sentos! I belong to the Chimera Protection Task Force!¡±


    ¡°The what?¡±


    ¡°As you heard! We are a group of wizards whose mission is to protect your kind!¡±


    ¡°And how many chimeras have you saved?¡± asked the orca with a tone that reflected genuine curiosity, as if expecting the wizard to tell him about all the other chimeras he had discovered.


    ¡°So far, we are trying to save only you.¡±


    An awkward silence ensued.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to be saved,¡± said the chimera, turning its head offended. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why everyone insists on doing so.¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m just a wizard! I cannot change what my ancestors have done. But as long as I live, I will do everything possible to ensure no harm comes to you or any other chimera.¡±


    The creature did not respond, and Myrius understood his distrust. He wished the day would come when he could prove the sincerity of his words with his actions.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have left already?¡± said Yaritza. ¡°You should be crossing the gulf by now.¡±


    The orca looked away.


    ¡°I was curious. I didn¡¯t know what had happened. I wanted to help, but Thalassa didn¡¯t let me. She said that if something happened with my new form, they wouldn¡¯t help me a second time. Then, after that big explosion, I almost got buried under the rocks!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Silas,¡± Olivia approached the orca, and extended a hand to touch his head. ¡°You can continue your journey without worry.¡±


    ¡°Who said I was worried?¡± replied the chimera, though he didn¡¯t pull away when she touched him.


    ¡°Olivia,¡± this time it was the Count who spoke. ¡°You can¡¯t stay.¡±


    The girl turned abruptly to him.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± she asked, confused.


    The Count embraced her for a long minute, and then planted a kiss on her forehead. Still lying on the ground, Myrius caught the glint of tears streaming down the Count¡¯s beard.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he buried his face in Olivia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You can¡¯t stay now. You have to leave.¡±


    ¡°Leave?¡±


    ¡°What do you remember?¡±


    The girl covered her face with both hands.


    ¡°I... I can¡¯t... I...¡± she lowered her hands, and looked at her father, distressed. ¡°How?¡±


    The Count stroked her head.


    ¡°There are witnesses. They have seen what you can do. I don¡¯t know how many, but I won¡¯t take the risk. My heart is breaking once again, but you must follow your own path now. I realized I cannot keep waiting. While you head to the island, I will take care of any suspicion. For that, I can be useful. When it¡¯s all over, I will come to find you.¡±


    ¡°To the island, you said?¡±


    The Count looked at the chimera.


    ¡°Silas, we have a deal. Take my daughter with you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t take orders from humans.¡±


    ¡°Please!¡± The Count knelt on the ground. ¡°I know she will be safe with you! I don¡¯t want her to be alone!¡±


    The orca let out a snort, splashing more water.


    ¡°Olivia, get on my back.¡±


    The girl looked at him, surprised.


    ¡°You said I would never ride you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, and get on, or I¡¯ll leave you behind. We¡¯re already very late.¡±


    ¡°You were the one who decided to wait first!¡±


    ¡°Do you want to go to the island or not?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± the question was directed at her father, who only nodded.


    Olivia hugged the Count, and they stayed like that for a few more seconds.


    ¡°We can¡¯t delay this any longer,¡± the Count signaled to the younger sirenia. ¡°Numi, it would be better...¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± Numi moved closer to Olivia.


    First, she tore the bottom of her tunic, leaving her legs free of clothing.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Olivia exclaimed, outraged.


    ¡°It will be more comfortable this way. It would also be better without sleeves,¡± saying that, she tore off the sleeves, and then placed her hands on Olivia¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Now open your mouth.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing weird, just open it.¡±


    Olivia opened her mouth, and Numi breathed out. On both sides of the human''s neck, two gills appeared.


    Then Numi pushed her into the water, and the girl floated next to the orca.


    ¡°Numi,¡± said her mother. ¡°It would be better if you go with them to the mouth of the lake, just in case.¡±


    ¡°I will!¡± Numi jumped in to the water. ¡°Come on, Olivia, and while we get there, I¡¯ll give you a quick swimming lesson! You cannot just rely on Silas¡¯s will! We¡¯ll also have a race, and see who is faster!¡±


    ¡°Take it easy, Numi!¡± her mother warned as the three of them moved away.


    The sun was already rising over the hills, and the sky was turning bluer as the smoke dissolved.


    Yaritza hugged the Count from behind, as they watched the dark silhouettes growing smaller until they merged with the gentle waves of the lake.


    Myrius covered his face with both hands, and began to sob, thanking whoever had listened for that unexpected gift life had given him.

 Chapter 29 - The aftermath

    That was a disaster, and Fidelia didn''t think so because of the charred huts lining the lakeshore. Rebuilding the village would be the least of their concerns. The worst would come later. The real problem was much deeper.


    A new war was threatening to break out, and this time the sirenians would not be able to stop it.The Lake Tribe had been attacked, and on the night of the Return itself no less. For centuries the sirenians had been considered an untouchable race, sacred even to some of their followers. They had been blessed by the Blue Dragon after the war between the Prairie and Forest Clans. Later, at the end of the last war, they were responsible for restoring peace to Terrarkana. They had even managed to get the secluded Island Clan to send their own delegation to join the Covenant.


    A large part of the human population admired the elves for their beauty and perfection, but they had never wanted to mix with them. After all, they were descendants of Yorgad and Nemertyss. Elves had taught humans some of their magic, true, but only for the purpose of using them as a weapon to hunt the chimeras. The elves could not harm the chimeras due to the Dragon''s curse, but the humans, free of that punishment, used the magic learned from the elves and slaughtered that innocent race, which, decimated, had to flee to the mountains.


    In contrast, the sirenians, who were seen by some as an inferior race compared to the elves, had opened their arms to humans from the beginning. They had not taught them magic, of course, which was not, at the end, as powerful as that of the elves, although they were excellent healers. Instead, they shared with the humans the rites of the Dragon and the history of Terrarkana of which they too had been part, to some extent.


    However, that friendly gesture also generated a new division, this time among the humans, who split into two factions: those who followed the cult of the Nymph, and those who began to worship the Blue Dragon. Some settled on the lake, raising families with the sirenians, and founding what was now known as the Lake Tribe.


    Others adventurers set sail for the sea, and created the League of Pirates, which during what became known as the Sea Revolt fought against the Royal Navy and played a decisive role by invading some important ports such as Stormbrace, and almost Nemertya itself. They even seized some of the islands further north, several of which, even a hundred years later, were never recovered. This forced the royal family to cease attacks against the chimeras and enter into negotiations.


    And behind all that the sirenians had been guiding the tides. A very cunning race, Eldrin had told her, though not with admiration but with despise. For him, the sirenians were hypocrites who went on about honesty and fraternity when they themselves had manipulated the humans as much as the elves had done. The difference was that the elves, according to him, had valid reasons to treat humans as the inferior beings they were, and would only accept those who achieved a worthy power equal to theirs.


    And to think that all that history lesson Fidelia had learned from the mouth of his former teacher. It was he who had opened her eyes to the prospect of a much larger world beyond the walls of Shadowrock.


    She had been born from servant parents. From a very young age she had been taught that the only thing she could aspire was nothing more than to be loyal to her lord, the old Count of Shadowrock, who ruled the castle with an iron hand, and Fidelia had watched countless times how her father was whipped for making such trivial mistakes as dropping a tray due to fatigue.


    Still, her parents were able to protect her, and give her a happy childhood with what little they had. Among her fondest memories, she recalled her mother inventing all kinds of games and songs to make the time at work go by faster. Her father was a skilled carver of wooden toys. She still kept three of them that had been left in the shelter of The Missing Helm Tavern: a horse, a soldier and a mountain goat.


    But then the epidemic of the red disease struck the castle and she was orphaned. Eldrin, who had tried to save her parents, seemed to feel guilty, and took her under his wing. Her first job was to help him organize his study, which since the onset of the epidemic had been in complete chaos. She spent hours there, sorting through countless mountains of books and scrolls. But it didn''t bother her, because it was a way to distract herself from her loss during the day while at night, stripped of the warmth of the two most beloved people in her life, grief seared her like a cold fire, until once again the sun rose over the horizon, and she was forced to begin the new day.


    She had learned to read thanks to the insistence of her mother who had enlisted the help of the newly appointed Master Leander, a humble and kind young man, a villager like herself. But that was as far as his teaching had gone. In the study, however, she came into contact with other kinds of symbols quite different from the letters she had so proudly learned to recognize.


    At first she was bored, then she was deliberately delayed so that she would not be put to other tasks, and remained in the study, attentively analyzing the manuscripts of the old wizard, as well as small exercises that he made his younger disciples solve. Among the latter, there was one that caught her attention. It was a seal to invoke air waves. It seemed very simple so she tried it. She had seen from afar how the young Initiates moved their fingers to manifest the seals, and she tried it several times without result the first few times. It actually took her quite a while until one day she managed to activate the seal, but it seemed that not so well as the airwave got out of control, and formed a small whirlwind that blew the books and scrolls away, which ruined all the work she had done so far.


    The Master, who was just arriving, heard the commotion, and burst in to discover the little maid squealing like a sheep and escaping from a swirl of torn parchment, which in a matter of seconds was dissolved with a wave of his hand.


    Well, yeah, there was a punishment: twenty lashes. She did not get up for days, and the wounds took their time to heal. Had the young Count been there, she would have been spared but, for some reason, he had not yet returned from the lake.


    Despite his initial anger, Eldrin called her back to his study. She was a bundle of nerves thinking that a new batch of punishments now awaited her. But that was not the case, quite the contrary. The old Master asked her if her interest in magic was sincere, and if she was willing to endure intense training to one day become a wizard.


    Fidelia accepted without a second''s hesitation.


    The first years were not easy. Her generation peers did not respect her. Not only because she was the daughter of servants, but also because they considered that she had been accepted only because Eldrin felt guilty for the death of her parents, while all of them had had to go through several tests before being accepted as Initiates.


    But if there was one thing that had become clear to Fidelia over the years, it was that Eldrin was not capable of pitying anyone, especially not her.


    Under his tutelage, he subjected her to a rigorous regimen of writing and memorizing seals until she felt her hands would break in pain, in addition to physical tests in inhospitable terrain such as the mountain itself in the middle of winter under extreme temperatures. This was followed by sessions of combat after which she would end up with her body bruised from head to toe. He pushed her to the limit, and, no matter how much she emerged victorious from the trials, he never seemed to be satisfied. He demanded greatness from her, while at the same time treating her like a worm. Every mistake was punished severely, and every achievement minimized, forcing her to push her own limits.


    She felt grateful, and at the same time loathed him, though she would later discover that many of the great wizards were similar, though none compared to him.


    To reach each level of magic required a minimum of four years. She went from mere apprentice to Initiate in no more than two years, and then needed three more to reach the level of Acolyte at the early age of fifteen, so she was already well ahead of the very peers who had underestimated her. Two years later she would complete her education by going on her training tour throughout the kingdom.


    However, her circumstances took an unexpected turn the night Rovenna Astra, the newly ordained Master Arcanist, visited the castle. As was tradition, Eldrin organized a demonstration of magical fighting with his best disciples.


    Fidelia remembered how excited she was to be able to show herself before such an eminent figure. She did not hold back at all. She won very easily, casting spells with astonishing precision and power that left everyone speechless, including the Count. His attacks were a perfect sequence of fluid movements, as she summoned waves and shields, combined with her strength, a product of her intense training. One of her peers would later comment to her in amazement that it looked as if she was performing a fatal dance.


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    The only ones who seemed indifferent were Eldrin and Rovenna. When it was announced that Fidelia was the winner, Eldrin stepped forward but, instead of congratulating her, he started fighting and defeated her in less than two minutes, as if to show her that she hadn''t done much and to always remember not to be so proud of herself.


    Rovenna thanked everyone for that interesting evening that had done justice to the already well-known reputation of the Order of the Shadowrock, and retired to her room without adding anything more.


    The next morning, Fidelia was called by the Master Arcanist who, without any detours, offered her the opportunity to continue her education in the capital before leaving on her training tour. There was also the possibility that, if all went well, she would join the Council.


    ¡°You still have a long way to go,¡± Rovenna had told her. ¡°However, I think you already have a good foundation, and if you have survived Eldrin''s training you will be able to perform well with the Council Masters.¡±


    ¡°Why me?¡± Fidelia asked suspiciously. Everything she had achieved had been thanks to her persistence, she didn''t possess any special ability that made her different from the rest.


    ¡°Before I came to talk to you, I spent some time to find out a couple of things. My parents were also servants, and I see in you the same flame that helped me to rise. Maybe someday you too can get to the same place.¡±


    Her? Fidelia Dabrus, daughter of servants? Master Arcanist someday?


    She dared not dream so much. All she wanted was a better life, serving her magnanimous lord, as her parents had hoped. She aspired to nothing higher.


    And there was that woman offering her the heavens.


    She thought she would have a hard time making her decision but, other than Leander who had proven to be her best friend and teacher, she had nothing else to tie her to Shadowrock. In fact, she couldn''t wait to leave, and when she saw that she didn''t have to wait two more years, the anxiety got the better of her.


    Eldrin was furious. He went so far as to demand the Count to intervene, but fortunately for Fidelia he did not want to meddle in the affairs of the Order, and believed that Fidelia had the right to make her own decisions.


    ¡°Ungrateful bastard, I had great plans for you!¡± Eldrin told her the night before leaving for Nemertya. ¡°Far greater than what Rovenna could offer you, but if you abandon me so easily and without any sense of loyalty, then I am glad I never shared anything with you. It proves you were never worthy. Someday we will meet again, and you will wish you had stuck with me.¡±


    In the end, things had not ended well for Fidelia, but, despite being expelled from the Council and her cross seal, she did not regret leaving Shadowrock. If someone had told her what would happen next, she would have made the same decision over and over again.


    ¡°So... this was your plan, Eldrin? Really?¡±


    The attack on the lake would mobilize the entire kingdom. The believers in the Blue Dragon, who saw Nemertyss as his servant, as well as the nymph''s followers, who would take the opportunity to point out that, despite the attack on the lake, the Dragon had not awakened to defend it. What could this mean?


    Fidelia could already imagine the questions: had the Blue Dragon existed, had it died, why had it not woken up, or had the sirenians done something to lose the favor of the legendary creature?


    If this escalated, both the sirenians and the Lake Tribe could be in danger of being attacked by the followers of Nemertyss, which would force the League of Pirates to act, and they would also have something to say.


    ¡°Actually,¡± said Fidelia aloud looking at the calm surface of the lake, ¡°you should have woken up a long time ago, and you haven''t done it. As far as I''m concerned, you could rest until eternity, but there are a lot of people here who do care about your presence, and they are about to kill each other.¡±


    To that explosive formula had to be added several wizards responsible for all that, among them Eldrin, which would give the sirenians and the pirates a reason to attempt against the Council. The elves would take sides with the humans, since their hatred for the rest of the races was superior to any contempt they felt for the humans. And who''s to say the island would abandon its neutrality and join the sirenians. In the end, the safest ones would be the chimeras hidden in the mountain who could regain their lost territory, while all the other races ended up exterminating each other, which would be quite ironic.


    That even seemed like a conspiracy devised by the chimeras themselves...


    She shook her head. She was going to end up as deranged as Myrius.


    She had been sitting on a rock watching some sirenians dive deep into the lake to assess the state of the tomb. When they returned to the surface after a while, they reported that the temple appeared to be intact although covered with rocks that had fallen from the promontory. This had been completely destroyed as if the explosion had been replicated in a sequence downwards until it reached the tomb.


    The person who had done that possessed a power never seen before. If it had been an elf it might not have been so surprising, but it was impossible for them to leave the forest unless they risked losing their priceless immortality. She found it hard to believe it was Eldrin, but there was no one else to blame. She had tried to question the captured wizards but had gotten nowhere, not even rubbing her scar in front of their faces. It seemed that these had been specially chosen by Eldrin because of their blind loyalty.


    Anyway, it wasn''t her problem, she was already doing more than Rovenna had expected of her. Leave the rest to the Council. She had already solved the mystery of the Elementals who had done nothing but mischief while helping the Count''s daughter escape.


    Little Olivia, who would have thought it? When Fidelia left the castle, the girl must not have been more than five years old. Several times she had been caught playing pranks, and had even had the idea of spying on the wizards while they were training, something that worried her father, who watched over her as if she were made of glass.


    Fidelia couldn''t imagine her becoming such a bold woman now.


    Now that she thought about it, where would she be? No one was saying anything about her. While touring the camp she had seen the Count meeting with a family of sirenians. It appeared that one of the chiefs had been wounded to the point of almost losing his life. He seemed to have a special relationship with the Count because they had set him up inside a tent all to himself, and his relatives had accompanied him throughout. The Count had joined them and remained inside the tent for a long time.


    However, Fidelia could not help thinking that, rather than resembling the scene of a united family watching over one of their own, it seemed more like an assembly where an important issue was being discussed. From the tent she had seen several annoyed sirenians come out. The other chiefs, on the other hand, had remained aloof and silent. There were many wounded members of the tribe.


    ¡°Not my problem, not my problem,¡± she muttered to herself, as she headed to a campfire in search of food. Maybe they were just making agreements about rebuilding the village? It couldn''t be anything else.


    The other person who had been acting weird was Myrius, and that was also related to the Count. While she had been dealing with the traitors, she had watched them walk away to where a group of sirenians were and then, busy with the interrogation, paid no more attention.


    Now Miryus was sitting in front of a campfire, next to Korinna and Leander, who had been for a long while talking about their inventions. That seemed to bother Myrius because he was very quiet and crestfallen. His food plate was untouched in the grass next to his feet.


    Fidelia thought that her leader must be jealous of all the attention Korinna was devoting to the Shadowrock''s wizard. He had nothing to worry about, though. Leander would never notice her like that. Fidelia could bet all her power again, though that wasn''t a good idea, better to forget it.


    Fidelia decided to sit next to him and cheer him up a bit, as she began to swallow the first bites of rabbit stew.


    ¡°Master Myrius...¡± she whispered. ¡°What about the chimera?¡±


    Master Myrius shivered and jumped. His breath hitched.


    ¡°The chimera? Ah, the chimera...¡± he whispered too.


    His reaction seemed rather strange... but it was Myrius after all.


    ¡°What did the Count tell you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, it escaped during the confusion.¡±


    Fidelia was surprised.


    ¡°So, it was really here?¡±


    Myrius jumped again, as if he had spoken too much.


    ¡°Yes, it was here, but it''s gone. I failed to sense its presence.¡±


    ¡°So... The Count''s daughter?¡±


    ¡°She was kidnapped by Eldrin.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Fidelia let out an exclamation, and both Leander and Korinna interrupted their excruciating debate about the various ways to modify small parts of the seals to tune the magicar''s speed.


    Myrius waved a hand to indicate that everything was fine, and the other two continued as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°We still can''t make it public," Myrius whispered. "It''s all so delicate. The Count confided in me when I asked him about the chimera. Peace is hanging by a thread.¡±


    "Do you have any idea where he might have gone?¡±


    ¡°The man dissolved into thin air, like a ghost.¡±


    Myrius sighed, and Fidelia didn''t want to ask more. It was very hard to lose something you thought was within your reach. She knew that feeling of defeat all too well.


    Did the sirenians know something, and was that why there were arguing with the Count?


    Fidelia shook her head, and continued eating.


    Not her problem, not her problem.


    She felt very sorry for the Count''s daughter, but she was useless at that moment. Other far more capable wizards would take care of it.


    She, on the other hand, would help Myrius with whatever he needed. Then they would return to Nemertya with Korinna. Fidelia would sail to the island, leaving all that behind. Once she recovered her power, she planned to spend the summer in the northern islands, before the war broke out, of course. There was nothing better than celebrating with a good glass of rum, lying on the warm sand, and listening to the constant and soft sound of the waves.


    Everything would depend on the goodwill of Rovenna Astra, who showed up at the lake a week after the attack.

 Chapter 30 - The Breach

    After receiving the message, Lady Daephennya appeared at the edge of the forest along with her most loyal vassals.


    The wizard was waiting there, lying against the trunk of a tree. His red tunic was threadbare and scorched. Traces of sweat covered his face, and he was breathing with one hand on his chest as if each inhalation hurt.


    ¡°My lady... Daephennya,¡± Eldrin stretched out his hand as if waiting for the elf to hold out her hand to let him kiss it, but she never allowed it. That was an annoying habit of his, but the wizard always accepted her refusal, perhaps because he held out hope that one day she would grant him such an honor.


    But that would never happen.


    With a single glance, her vassals turned away to let them speak alone.


    ¡°Forgive me for not standing up, but I have walked all the way from the lake on my own. Your amulet has saved me... Too bad I can no longer use it.¡±


    The wizard was referring to an amulet that she had given him in payment for his services. That one in particular had the attribute of turning the bearer invisible. She had told him that it would be the only one he would receive for the moment, and that he should use it in case of extreme necessity, which seemed to be the case.


    ¡°You have failed,¡± said the elf.


    The wizard winced.


    ¡°I have followed my lady''s instructions to the letter. However, an unforeseen circumstance has arisen.¡±


    She said nothing, and waited.


    ¡°Everything was going as you had said. Lady Olivia discovered her father''s secret, she was at her most vulnerable moment, which I took advantage of to appear, and convince her to leave with me.


    ¡°And what did Alaric do?¡±


    ¡°He could do nothing. It was his own daughter, my Lady, who confronted me.¡±


    Eldrin went on to describe to her the girl''s transformation, and how difficult it had been to fend off those fireball attacks made of pure energy. He had never seen anything like it in his life. No human wizard was capable of handling energy like that. His shields had barely managed to protect him, and his attacks were nothing more than mere breezes of wind in the face of the girl''s power.


    After hearing this, the elf remained in deep thought. She didn''t like to accept it, but she had failed too.


    ¡°It has begun.¡±


    ¡°My lady?¡±


    ¡°It was not supposed to activate on its own.¡±


    ¡°My lady I don''t understand. Did you know?¡±


    She should never have handed her over to her father, but not doing so would have unleashed a conflict before its time, something she wanted to avoid at all costs. A half-human baby in Serenity Glade would be impossible to hide. Only her most loyal vassals were aware of it, while she had to watch out for the rest of her subjects among whom a spy of her brothers could always be found. That was why she had taken such great care to see that Olivia never crossed beyond the boundaries of the forest. Although Alaric had done most of the work for her by keeping her protected in the castle as much as possible.


    ¡°I thought I had more time,¡± the elf curved her lips upward as if the idea amused her. ¡°A miscalculation. Now everything will depend on them.¡±


    ¡°Them? Is anyone else involved?¡±


    ¡°You could say so,¡± she sighed in boredom, again she must wait. ¡°You overestimated her affection for you. I am disappointed. You told me you were her mentor, almost like a second father to her.¡±


    That seemed to annoy the wizard.


    ¡°My Lady had a chance to capture her, and she wasted it.¡±


    ¡°She had to believe she had her mother on her side.¡±


    ¡°Let me disagree with you. Just because you gave her life doesn''t mean she can become fond of you, at least not for now.¡±


    The elf did not reply, but her blonde eyebrows rose.


    ¡°You wanted revenge on Alaric,¡± the wizard continued, ¡°for choosing the sirenian over you.¡±


    Those violet eyes darkened. The leaves of the trees shook, and the edges of the elf''s dress lifted as a torrent of wind blew through the trees. The sunlight was fading, as if the treetops were closing overhead.


    ¡°Beware, wizard, my race granted power to your people, and just as easily it can be taken away. It is only a matter of will.


    ¡°Not without first confronting your brothers. I am your only ally at this time.¡±


    In front of her, Eldrin''s feet were left shaking in the air while the wizard held his hands to his neck as if trying to free himself from invisible hands that were trying to strangle him.Even the mightiest of the masters was nothing against the power of an elf, but they could do nothing because of the Dragon''s curse that kept them locked in the forest.


    Five hundred years ago they had proved it to them. After settling their first settlements on the coast, the humans decided to expand inland without knowing that sooner or later they would come across the ancient Great Forest where the elves lived. They soon began to destroy the forest and to cut down trees as if they were plucking flowers from the grass.


    At that time, she reigned along with her twin brothers, Phrondyr and Narthoss, with whom she went to the place of the attack to meet that new race whose essence was so familiar to them. After studying them from afar, they discovered that they possessed both the blood of the nymph Nemertyss and the giant Yorgad, both disappeared so many centuries ago. Because of this, they feared that they could not defend themselves for fear of suffering the consequences of the Dragon''s curse.


    Dhaephennya went to the court of the Elementals, but since the extinction of the giants, these beings had made a vow not to interfere any more in conflicts that occurred between the races, even more if they had a part of giant blood.


    She felt furious, and did not mind risking punishment from the Dragon. She fought the invaders, and when she saw that nothing happened to her she continued to drive them out of the forest. She would never forget how close she felt to losing her immortality. After capturing one of them and studying his Code, she understood that they were free of the curse, and perhaps that is why they were defenseless to her attacks.


    Peace returned to the forest but not for long. When the humans realized that the elves could not abandon it, they launched an attack with incendiary projectiles that plunged the Great Forest into chaos. The Elementals helped put out the fire, but still did not want to attack the humans, and advised the elves to make peace with the newcomers, just as the sirenians had begun to do. For their part, the chimeras, who, unlike the other races, roamed the realm freely, made no attempt at approach. To the humans, they were no more than ordinary animals, and knew how to hide from them without a fight. Nor did they feel any desire to help the elves, their former enemies.The elves, therefore, were alone and none of their supposed fellow races were willing to help them.


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    That event divided the siblings. The twins wanted to make peace by giving the humans a gift to show their good will, while Daephennya wanted to continue to hold out. She could not understand her brothers'' thinking in the face of these invaders.


    Still, it was two against one. A message was sent to the humans They were asked to choose five members of their own who would be received by the elves in Serenity Glade to be trained in the reading and manipulation of the Ethereal Codes, a power that their ancestors the giants mastered as well as the elves.


    The humans must have been wary, but the offer was too seductive. They did not want to miss the chance. They sent five of their strongest warriors who for several years lived with the elves, and received their teachings until they became the first wizards of Terrarkana.The five wizards returned home telling wonders of the elves, but this also resulted in the birth of the five families that would rival the power of the same ruler who had already founded the city of Nemertya. For a while, they were busy in their own political quarrels, and did not bother the other races.


    Of course, the elves never granted them all their knowledge, only a part of it. Enough to build and grow the human cities, which multiplied like mushrooms all over Terrarkana, while they fought against each other, removing and crowning kings at the same speed with which they were expanding. Their power, however, never surpassed the one of their benefactors and the five families knew that very well and thanks to them the attacks against the forest ceased.


    That power struggle between wizards and common humans kept them busy for a while. In the meantime, Daephennya began to understand the advantage of the situation. If humans could attack the rest of the races then she could use them.


    She wanted revenge. The giants were gone, it was no longer necessary to go against them. The Blue Dragon, after killing her grandfather, and causing her parents to die during the Great Flood, was still hiding in her lake. The Elementals were too powerful to confront for the time being, and the sirenians were on good terms with the humans from the beginning.


    But the case of the chimeras was different.


    Once the unification of the human kingdom was achieved, and the royal family whose descendants reigned at present consolidated power, Daephennya took it upon herself to send them information about an elusive race that inhabited Terrarkana without any of them even knowing they existed. She convinced them that by hunting these magical beings they could gain unparalleled power.


    And it worked. What Daephennya had failed to do with her own hands, she had accomplished through that most manipulable of races. She did not succeed in making the chimeras extinct, but their numbers had dwindled to insignificance.


    When her brothers found out what she had done, the Great Forest, as it had been known until then, disappeared, and was divided into three smaller territories. She became the Lady of the Whispering Forest, while Phrondyr became the Lord of the Memory Forest, and Narthoss the Lord of the Mirror Forest. What the elves called the Breach was created. It was a free space between both factions of the forest, whose trees withered to the point of disappearing altogether, and where years later the castle of Shadowrock would be built by the first Guardian of the Circle, Alaric''s great-grandfather.


    She had accomplished all that, and now this pathetic wizard had the audacity to show arrogance in front of her. She had the power to kill him. She was even curious about the act itself. But an elf did not soil his hands with blood. That was the task of servants, like those cowardly traitors who inhabited the island.


    But even if she could kill him, she still needed him. Pathetic as he was, he professed blind loyalty to her, and he was her only connection to the human realm and the royal family.


    So she dropped him to the ground. The wind died down, and light once again crept through the branches of the trees. After standing for a moment panting, his hand still on his injured neck, Eldrin said to her:


    ¡°My time... is not the same as yours.... For years... I have obeyed your every command... I have supported you faithfully... but my life is ending unlike yours.¡±


    The human was getting impatient. That was always the problem with them.


    ¡°Your obedience will be rewarded,¡± Daephennya said without looking at him. ¡°There is nothing you can do now if the whole kingdom is looking for you. My vassals will help you heal your wounds. We cannot take you to Serenity Glade, your presence might arouse suspicion, but I can offer you potions that will stop your aging.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, my Lady!¡± still lying on the ground, the old man lowered his head until his forehead touched the grass. ¡°Thank you, thank you! Once I recover, I will take it upon myself to fetch your daughter, even if I have to cross the whole earth!¡±


    How easy it was, Daephennya thought. It was true that elves could stop aging, but not forever. Nothing could change the nature of a living being, unless it was an Alchemist, and the only one that existed was sleeping at the bottom of the lake.


    Her vassals returned to take care of the wizard. Daephennya turned away from them to wander alone in the forest. The whole thing was giving her a headache. She came to a small space between the trees, and with a movement of her hands the trees moved closer together until they formed a wall around her. Then she sat down on the ground, and with her head in contact with the bark, she closed her eyes and felt her senses expand like the explosion of lightning in all directions. Now the forest and she became one consciousness.


    Worms burrowed in the earth near their roots, flying insects buzzed among the branches, birds searched for food among their eggs or guarded their nests, deer grazed among the trees and ran away at the slightest movement, the breeze caressed their leaves, bees rested on the flowers, the sun passed over the forest and fell again on the horizon to let the sky open like a colorful curtain to reveal a starry mantle. At dawn, a couple of daring hunters went deeper than allowed, and she sent them a family of ogres who had to interrupt their games at the request of the Lady of the Forest who asked them to go and scare them. She also wanted to have fun with them, letting her voice slip through the branches like a ghost but someone prevented her.


    ¡°My lady,¡± a whisper from behind the trees made her consciousness recede, and she was once again contained inside her own head. As she parted the trees that concealed her, Daephennya came upon an female elf carrying a wooden box inside which she knew to contain a mirror.


    ¡°How long?¡±


    ¡°It''s been four days.¡±


    That was nothing. If she wished, she could have been in that state for months, but it wasn''t the time. There was too much to do.


    Her vassal placed the box on a fallen log, and stepped back.


    Daephennya lifted the top, and pulled out the mirror.


    ¡°Narthoss.¡±


    On the surface of the object, a face similar to hers, though male, appeared.


    ¡°Sister... out of Serenity Glade again?¡±


    ¡°The whole forest belongs to me.¡±


    ¡°You''ve kept me waiting long enough.¡±


    ¡°You sound like a human. You''ve been in contact with them too much. So have Phrondyr.¡±


    His violet eyes kept staring at her.


    ¡°The rivers have brought me the news. Someone has attacked the Lake Tribe.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°It seems to have been a wizard.¡±


    ¡°History repeats itself again.¡±


    He smirked.


    ¡°This particular wizard is the Master Leader of the Order of Shadowrock, near your territory.¡±


    ¡°Also from Phrondyr''s, in case you forgot.¡±


    ¡°Our brother does not hate humans.¡±


    ¡°I don''t hate them either.¡±


    ¡°Then my concerns are unfounded. That''s a relief. There is one other thing, though.¡±


    ¡°What''s that?¡±


    Her brother let out a chuckle.


    ¡°For the Lady of Whispers... you don''t know much.¡±


    ¡°You are speaking to your older sister.¡±


    ¡°Older only by a mere seventy years... You really don''t know what I mean?¡±


    ¡°How could I?¡±


    ¡°The Count''s daughter.¡±


    Daephennya let out a weary sigh.


    ¡°That''s what you meant. Yes, the Count was here a few weeks ago, looking for her.¡±


    ¡°And you weren''t able to find her?¡±


    ¡°Only if she was inside the forest, which she was not. She must have fled along the roads.¡±


    Narthoss fell silent again for a few seconds before continuing:


    ¡°A new war threatens us.¡±


    ¡°A war between humans.¡±


    ¡°And our sirenian friends¡±


    This time it was Daephennya who let out a delicate chuckle.


    ¡°You suprise me, Narthoss.¡±


    ¡°It was the sirenians who rescued us from the flood.¡±


    ¡°Sirenians created by the same Dragon that caused it. But I''ll say no more, there''s no point in discussing it with either of you.¡±


    ¡°If we find ourselves on different sides again, sister, this time we won''t be so kind to you.¡±


    ¡°Will you risk crossing the Breach? Our brother too?¡±


    ¡°I can''t speak for Phrondyr, but I do know that he wants to keep the balance between the races as much as I do. If I have to make the decision, I will. I have lived long enough.¡±


    ¡°I do not wish to listen to you anymore. You are a disgrace.¡±


    With a wave of her hand, Daephennya dissolved the image of her brother''s face, and put the mirror back in the box.


    ¡°Die as a human, if that''s what you want. I still haven''t had enough.¡±

 Chapter 31 - The Rambling Herald

    As the Master Arcanist''s personal assistant, Theo Malis enjoyed certain privileges, as well as responsibilities, unusual for his young age, especially considering his commoner origins. It hadn''t been more than three years since he had reached the level of Master that he went to work for her.


    Of course, if he gave it much thought, he had actually started working for Rovenna by sheer luck. He was a capable wizard, not one of the best, but skilled enough to land a position as an Instructor in the Education Division in charge of the new Initiates.


    However, his teaching activities had not been limited to the Council, but also to a marginal area of the city of Nemertya, the same corner where he had grown up. His father, a fisherman, had died at sea, while his mother, a housewife and weaver, to avoid poverty or an unwanted second marriage, was ordained as a priestess of the temple of Nemertyss, a position that was only available to widowed women who wanted to remain faithful to their husbands even after their death.


    His mother''s sacrifice provided Theo and his younger siblings with the possibility of being educated in the temple library and, later, in his particular case, one of the priestesses, also a wizard, was allowed to teach him to read the Ethereal Codes, which opened the doors for him to be accepted as an Initiate in the Council of Wizards.


    Those were twelve long years, not only of struggles, but also of disrespect when his companions found out that he had been the son of a fisherman, something he never denied, as he did not understand why he should feel ashamed. He thought things would improve when he became an Instructor, but he was wrong. His apprentices, mostly spoiled upper class boys and girls, showed him no respect. Not everyone was like that, but enough of them that Theo began to feel the rage growing inside him.


    It was too late to resign. His superiors would know why he was doing it, and that would only hurt him, and then all his mother''s sacrifice would be in vain. Though he found a way to take revenge one day when he decided to visit his old home, where a larger family now lived, and he began to watch the children playing on the docks. With the help of an old blacksmith, friend of his father''s, he gathered a small group of youngsters who, because of their circumstances, would never be able to attain the same education as he did, and set about teaching them first basic knowledge.


    At the beginning it was all very innocent. He was just a simple tutor teaching reading and writing, as well as some mathematics.


    But then he went even further and began to teach how to interpret the Ethereal Codes to those who showed the necessary aptitude.


    Of course, that somehow reached the ears of the Master Arcanist who summoned him to her study one afternoon.


    ¡°What you have done is a clear violation of the laws of the Council!¡± Rovenna''s eyes could have caught fire at that moment. ¡°Teaching magic without authorization!¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± protested Theo, not caring anymore, thinking that at the end of that hearing a definite expulsion awaited him. ¡°Who decided that only a few had the right? Who decided that we had to comply?¡±


    ¡°Theo Malis, watch your words! Remember who you are speaking to! Do you know the chaos this kingdom would suffer if everyone could read the Codes? The rivalries, the riots, the clashes!¡± she hit the desk, making it bounce. ¡°The war! All this control over the wizards that bothers you so much has served the purpose of preventing the balance from breaking! And if you have read anything of the Chronicles you should know how easy it is for the first sparks to turn into a fire!¡±


    Theo didn''t know how to respond to that. He had preferred not to think about the consequences. Besides, he had only taught very few children. His actions had been insignificant.


    ¡°Innocent boy...¡± Rovenna sighed wearily, and then burst out laughing. ¡°After this, I order you to go to the temple, and make an offering to the Nymph. You were lucky no one else found out, especially the Control Division.¡±


    Theo didn''t understand that abrupt change in her tone.


    ¡°Master...?¡±


    ¡°I already made the mistake of allowing the expulsion of a wizard who didn''t deserve it,¡± this seemed to be directed at herself.


    ¡°I... I don''t understand...¡±


    ¡°You will work for me. It will be for the best, I don''t know what other things you could come up with on your own. Someone has to keep you in check. Since today you are immediately appointed as my assistant. But I must forbid you to continue your educational activities outside the Council. Otherwise, I will be forced to take other measures.¡±


    Thinking again of his mother who continued to lead a peaceful life in the temple, satisfied with the achievements of her three children, Theo swallowed his breath, and accepted the unexpected reward.


    However, before saying goodbye, Rovenna managed to say to him:


    ¡°If I live long enough, I''ll see what we can do with those strange ideas of yours. As for your students, I will see to it that they receive the training that suits their abilities.¡±


    Since then, Theo Malis had become the faithful assistant of the Master Arcanist.


    Up till that first conversation, he hadn''t thought about it, but it was also thanks to her that he had managed to get into training at the Council. Before Rovenna Astra''s ascension, it was very difficult for wizards of humble origins to even be accepted as apprentices. It was said that she had been the first of her kind, although her boss had never corroborated that information with him.


    Since the creation of the Council it had been a tradition that the most important positions were reserved for members of the five families: Silverleaf, Dawnseeker, Whisperwind, Oakenshield, and Wildheart. Those had been the names designated by the elves themselves to refer to the first five wizards, and later became the family names of their direct descendants, who generally married among themselves, so as not to mix with families of lower rank.


    Though in addition, between the five families and the wizards of plebeian birth, there was also an intermediate category of several families, though not as important, whose ancestors had served as vassals in the War of the First Wizards.


    Among Rovenna''s detractors it was rumored that she was even trying to prevent the entry of new members belonging to the five families in order to diminish the influence they had always enjoyed within the Council.


    ¡°And they are right,¡± Rovenna had told him with a mocking expression one of those first evenings after he started working for her. ¡°But they really make it easy for me.¡±


    The last few generations of the five families had proven to be a disappointment. They had become so accustomed to holding office within the Council, as if it were an inherited right, that they no longer even bothered to train from a young age as much as others who had to climb from the very base of the mountain.


    Since her arrival to power, it was becoming more and more normal for wizards of different origins to be accepted in the Council. Something unthinkable decades ago, when those same wizards were assigned to work in cities and small towns with no great responsibilities other than to attend to the daily problems of their inhabitants.


    Though there had been a couple of setbacks, which to some were solid proof that Rovenna''s policies were heading in the wrond direction. One was Fidelia Dabrus, some years ago, when Theo was an Acolyte-in-training. His colleagues told him that it had been a very hard stroke for Rovenna, as if a thief had took from her arms the daughter she had never had. Her position had even come very close to being in jeopardy. She was even summoned by the Conclave to be held accountable. Very few wizards knew what had happened, and they all belonged to the secretive Control Division to which the expelled Master Fidelia had belonged.


    Another more recent case, although Theo did not understand why it had to be linked to Rovenna, was Myrius Sentos, another commoner wizard, with his ridiculous ideas about chimeras living in hiding across the realm. If the same people who criticized her, found out that she had just sent those two on a special mission, together with another wizard who had dared to resign, driving a ridiculous artefact that had not passed through the corresponding inspections, it wouldn''t take long for the petitions for the Master Arcanist''s resignation to pile up.


    But all that had been overshadowed by the recent news of an alleged attack on the Dragon Lake that had shaken the city into a cauldron of speculation. Some spoke of an accident, a bonfire that had gotten out of control. That assumption was quickly challenged since the sirenians would be perfectly capable of dealing with a mere fire. Then suspicion fell on the followers of Nemertyss, to the indignation of Theo, son of a priestess, but he could not deny that, among them, extremist groups that had shown openly triumphant about the incident.


    There had also been disturbances between them and the followers of the Blue Dragon, many of whom were returning from their annual pilgrimage to the lake. They told the citizens about the raging fire that had reduced the village to ashes, and the destroyed promontory. But even they could not understand what had happened, althought they were talking about wizards belonging to the Order of Shadowrock. This was a disaster unseen in recent generations. Not even the Guardian of the Circle had been able to fulfill his duty.


    The seriousness of the matter caused the Master Arcanist to be summoned by the Conclave before urgently departing for the lake. Theo was not allowed to enter, so he had to wait outside. As she exited through the Dome''s gate, heavily guarded by Control Division wizards, Rovenna''s face was dark and cracked, as if she had suddenly aged ten years. Theo had never seen her like that.


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    In fact, they had originally enlisted to go to Shadowrock when they first received a message from Guthran reporting that almost the entire Order had betrayed the Count. That required the presence of the Master Arcanist, but, just as they were about to leave, they received news of the attack on the lake.


    ¡°Theo, I need you to stay,¡± Rovenna told him, drinking a hot cup of tea he had prepared for her nerves. ¡°Someone has to be my eyes in the city. I don''t trust anyone else. You will need to keep all your senses alert and anything worth reporting you will let me know on the spot.¡±


    That said, Rovenna handed him a mirror. Theo froze. From the fine material and the details of leaves and flowers carved into its silvery surface, it was an elven artifact. The Lord of the Mirror Forest, Narthoss, had given it to Rovenna on her last visit as a token of goodwill. Elves were not one to give anything away just like that, unless they felt they would benefit from such an act.


    Rovenna did not trust the elf, but that gift was perfect for that situation. With that mirror she wouldn''t have to wait to find out what was going on in the capital.


    ¡°What if it''s a way for the elf to spy on you?¡± Theo asked.


    Of course, Rovenna had thought about it, that''s why she hadn''t dared to use it before, but that was an extreme situation. Just in case, they agreed to talk in code.


    Theo felt proud of the trust she placed in him, even though his movements were limited due to his position. While he could perform some administrative actions as Rovenna''s representative, he could not get information from the royal family, unless it was through bribes to the servants, nor to the Dome to speak to the Conclave, although after seeing Rovenna''s face, he felt no desire to meet the five Archmages who were confined there.


    That was the reason why he could not fail in that other mission that Rovenna had entrusted to him, which had led him that night to the port.


    He arrived at the dock around midnight. The fog rolled in from the sea, settling over the harbor like a blanket and diffusing the glow of the torches creating a sort of golden halos that hovered like ominous spirits. A gentle cool breeze stirred his dark clothes that had replaced his red Master''s robe.


    A scent of seaweed, fish and saltpeter took him back for a moment to a scene from his childhood when he and his siblings would run out onto the dock to greet their father and help him with the day''s catch.


    In that instant, he could recognize the silhouette of some fishermen among nets and tackle preparing to set sail in a few hours. Nearby, a couple of sailors were holding nostalgic conversations. From the nearby taverns he could hear the distant laughter of drunks, mixed with music and the sound of the waves breaking against the nearby boats and the wood of the dock.


    He made his way to where a man sat patiently waiting on a rowboat. Theo handed him some coins and, after counting them, the other man gestured for him to get in.


    A while passed as the boat moved farther and farther away from the dock until they found themselves in the middle of the bay from where the fog barely allowed the lights of the city''s most imposing buildings to be glimpsed. The white Dome of the Council of Wizards looked much more sinister than usual.


    ¡°Do you need me to wait, or do you intend to go on a journey?¡± the man asked.


    Theo was startled to look around, and bump into the dark wooden hull where he recognized the silver shield of the League of Pirates shining in the moonlight. Until that moment he had only seen it in drawings: a woman raising her sword, surrounded by a dragon emerging from the waves.


    In the pirates'' version, Nemertyss was not a faithful guardian, nor a sad maiden turned to foam, but a cunning and fierce warrior who had led the humans to reconquer the lands that had once belonged to their giant ancestors. The presence of the Blue Dragon on the shield symbolized his blessing, since in that way Nemertyss would be returning the ancient balance to the world.


    Like all versions of mythical stories, this one had its charms, as well as its contradictions.


    But it wasn''t time to think about that. Theo asked the man to wait for him, and handed him more coins, promising him double when he got off the boat.


    He then shouted toward the ship, asking for an audience, and a light fell on him:


    ¡°Who goes there?¡± asked the dark shadow of a man Theo couldn''t see because of the backlight.


    ¡°I cannot say until you let me on board! Just ask me for the password!¡±


    ¡°Who is it, Warwick?¡±, asked another voice from the ship.


    ¡°An impatient one, apparently... well... let''s ask him for the password,¡± his voice sounded most mocking and then became sing-songy. ¡°On a full moon night, while the flute fish sings...¡±


    Theo sighed. He detested Rovenna''s stupid passwords.


    ¡°Octopuses dance with crabs until dawn...,¡± he growled.


    ¡°I can''t hear you!¡± the voice shouted.


    ¡°Octopuses dance with crabs until dawn!¡±


    ¡°That''s right... but you didn''t sound very sure. Let''s try another one.¡±


    Rovenna had also told him to memorize the entire list she had given him, since pirates had a weakness for passwords.


    ¡°Turtles tell jokes in the middle of the night!¡± said the voice.


    ¡°And dolphins belly laugh!¡±


    ¡°Those aren''t funny at all!¡± complained another male voice. ¡°Ask him something about rum.¡±


    His partner seemed to listen to him.


    ¡°So, mate,¡± he shouted to Theo, ¡°which is the strongest rum?¡±


    ¡°The one you don''t share, mate!¡± responded Theo.


    ¡°Rum is the treasure map!¡±, continued the pirate.


    ¡°And every sip...! A discovery!¡±


    ¡°What''s a pirate doing with an empty bottle of rum?¡±


    ¡°Fills it with more rum!¡±


    ¡°How many pirates does it take to change an empty bottle of rum?¡±


    ¡°None! There are no empty rum bottles on a pirate ship!¡±


    ¡°What is rum''s best mate?¡±


    ¡°A thirsty pirate!¡±


    Theo lost count of how many more he was asked for until he felt himself getting hoarse.


    ¡°Well, I think that''s it, don''t you?¡± said the voice, and it seemed that his crewmates, who until then had been laughing their heads off, agreed, because suddenly a heavy rope fell on Theo''s head.


    ¡°Now the waiting will cost you three times as much,¡± the oarsman warned him, folding his arms.


    Theo nodded reluctantly and began to climb up the rope until he reached the railing of the deck of the well-known Rambling Herald, ambassador of the seas, also neutral, as was the Circle, a sort of emissary who could move freely even across royal territory, and its main function was to serve as a connection between the mainland and the League of Pirates.


    A hand helped him over the last stretch, and Theo leapt to the deck.


    ¡°Warwick ''Tide Breaker'' Torman,¡± a middle-aged, brown-bearded man, held out his hand.


    ¡°Theo Malis, Rovenna Astra''s assistant.¡±


    ¡°Couldn''t she come herself?¡±


    ¡°She''s not in Nemertya... she had to...¡±


    ¡°Yes, we know,¡± said another man, much younger, with dark skin, close-cropped hair and severe features. Theo seemed to sense something different about him, and then it hit him.


    ¡°A sirenian? ¡° he asked confused.


    The man grimaced.


    ¡°Not all of us return to the lake.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, of course,¡± Theo hastened to say, remembering that there were even some who were part of other tribes that had settled on the islands or preferred to roam the sea freely without a definite destination.


    Behind the two of them there were other people hidden in the darkness who remained silent.


    ¡°You better hurry,¡± said the sirenian. ¡°The captain is not in the mood.¡±


    ¡°What a way to treat guests, Bronto. We are representatives of the League, above all¡± complained Warwick. ¡°But, yes, mate, you''ll have to be quick, because we''re leaving for Misty Dream immediately. You found us here by chance.¡±


    ¡°The captain won''t like you saying that,¡± said Bronto to Warwick, as Theo followed him inside the ship.


    ¡°Oh, right, it was secret. Oh, shit, but it was also secret that it was a secret, so... mate, don''t mention anything of what I just told you to the captain.¡±


    At last they reached the door leading to the captain''s cabin, and Warwick gave a few knocks:


    ¡°Captain! We have visitors!¡±


    ¡°It''s a little late for visitors!¡± said an annoyed male voice.


    ¡°This one''s important!¡±


    Theo heard something move inside the cabin as if its occupant was fixing or throwing some heavy objects. After another knock from Warwick, he let out a curse before saying:


    ¡°Now, now, bring him in!¡±


    The door to the cabin opened, and Theo stepped into a rather large space in which there were a cluttered bed, a table covered in scrolls, a couple of chairs, books and more documents and maps lying on the ground.¡±


    In the center stood a tall man, dressed in dark unbuttoned clothes, as if he had been caught in the middle of his break. Theo couldn''t see his face because he was wearing a golden mask in the shape of an eagle.


    That was Jasper "The Eagle" Gloom, captain of The Rambling Herald. No one knew his true face. It was said that not even his crew had ever seen it. The reasons changed depending on who spoke. Some said it was simply to keep his identity secret in case the ship lost its privileges and had to go into hiding. Others that he was a former member of the Royal Navy who had betrayed the Crown. Then there was the version that after a shark attack his face had been so disfigured that he dared not show it, and that anyone who saw it might drop dead from fright. And then there was another one that said he was in fact a hybrid, although according to what Theo could see of the rest of his body, he seemed to be pretty human. Nor did he perceive any strange energy that would lead him to believe otherwise.


    The captain shook his hand, and Theo introduced himself.


    ¡°Ah, well, if it isn''t Rovenna Astra''s boy,¡± said the captain in a tone that Theo couldn''t tell if he was annoyed or relieved. ¡°Tell Rovenna that we won''t act unless the sirenians send us a distress signal. That is the agreement. Although I can''t stop the ships from starting to get ready for a possible confrontation...¡± He remain thoughtful for a second. ¡°No one wants this war.¡±


    ¡°But you have already faced the Navy on several occasions,¡± Theo told him. ¡°Rovenna wanted to make sure...¡±


    The eagle''s beak twitched.


    ¡°We only attack when they threaten to invade our islands... something they do quite often by the way. Please remind Rovenna of that. Countless reasons have been given for us to declare war, and we have not. We enjoy it, actually, it''s good entertainment, and it keeps us in shape. But we always respect the Covenant. We will not attack unless the sirenians are in danger... Although what I heard sounds worrying.¡±


    ¡°It was just a fire. The village will be rebuilt.¡±


    ¡°A fire started by whom? What could have happened that even the sirenians couldn''t extinguish it in time?¡±


    ¡°Rovenna herself has gone there to take care of the matter. You trust her.¡±


    ¡°Trust has its limits, boy. Besides, I don''t lead the pirates. I''m just a link.¡±


    ¡°But the other captains respect you.¡±


    ¡°My words won''t matter if the sirenians are threatened. I can''t promise much. The other tribes settled on the islands remain on alert as well. Let''s say we''re all on edge, waiting for news from the lake.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you''re heading to Misty Dream? Are you waiting for something?¡± Theo asked suspiciously.


    After hearing that, the captain suddenly opened the cabin door.


    ¡°Doesn''t anyone on this damn ship know how to keep quiet!¡± his voice boomed so loudly it could have turned the ship upside down even though his mouth was covered by the mask. ¡°And I''m especially talking to you, Warmick ''Dead Body'' Torman!¡±


    Theo heard several feet running on the deck, as if they had been listening closely the whole time.


    ¡°You''re not being honest with me,¡± Theo pointed out.


    ¡°You haven''t told me the whole story either.¡±


    ¡°What''s happening at Misty Dream?¡±


    ¡°If you fear that we''ll cross the strait to enter the gulf, forget it. Someone simply told me to stay there waiting... for something... I''m still not sure, they didn''t tell me why. But it has nothing to do with the attack... I think...¡±


    ¡°Who sent you the message?¡±


    ¡°It wasn''t the Lake Tribe for sure. This much I can tell you... And if I keep answering your endless questions, I won''t get there in time,¡± he gestured for Theo to leave. ¡°Tell Rovenna to focus on clearing things up with the sirenians. I''ll do my part, as I always have.¡±

 Chapter 32 - The frustrating situation

    Silas had never known such a wonderful feeling. His entire body vibrated with an unknown energy as he was floating in the water. Every muscle moved with perfect precision driving him forward with unprecedented strength and speed. He wanted to dart out like an arrow, but the sirenians had warned him to be careful about pushing himself too hard. His transformation had been accomplished with other''s memories, this meant that if he overdid it, his mind would be overloaded and those same memories could quickly fade away, causing him he to lose control of his new form.


    But it was not easy to hold back. The temptation to test the limits of his body was very strong and his excitement, instead of calming down, seemed to be increasing as he slid through the water and adapted to the currents.


    Although he also liked to stop and observe around, enjoying the feeling of his huge body hanging in the void. Before saying goodbye, Numi had taught him about echolocation which consisted of causing clicks whose echoes bounced off the surroundings creating a detailed mental image of the rock formations, fish and other sea creatures.


    As they continued their journey, the aquatic landscape became more colorful. The vast green meadows of seaweed were dotted with reds, oranges and violets. Near the surface, the sun''s rays filtered through the water, creating a pattern of light and shadow. Shoals of silver fish moved in perfect synchronization, changing shapes that faded as quickly as they appeared.


    Every now and then they also came across curious animals: turtles, eels, crabs, eels, octopuses, even funny sea urchins. Some he knew how to identify, others he had no choice but to ask Olivia since she might have read about them in one of those books of hers. The jellyfish had caught his attention the most. They looked like little ghosts floating indifferently in the dark, and everytime he saw them he was tempted to cause little swirls with his tail that made their transparent tentacles take on weird shapes.


    He couldn''t wait to see what other strange beings he might encounter once they left the gulf behind, though the sirenians had also warned him that when he reached the Freedom Sea the currents would become stronger. However, instead of being frightening, he felt excited as he tried to imagine what it would be like to find himself in the vastness of the open ocean.


    But there was something that had been bothering him ever since they had left the lake''s mouth behind, and the cause was rooted in none other than Olivia.


    Perhaps the word best suited to describe his mood was disappointment. He had thought she would share with him the incredible joy of being underwater, but the girl had barely uttered a word since they had said goodbye to Numi. Every time Silas spotted a new animal and pointed it out to her she nodded not at all surprised. She was more occupied with her own mysterious thoughts.


    He decided to give her space, and even slowed the speed at which they swam so that she wouldn''t tire as much. The gills on her neck seemed to be holding up well, but her legs remained human. Numi had told her that if she didn''t want them to disappear she should stay in the water at all times and avoid dry land.


    They had been traveling for two days with several breaks. Without a map it was impossible to know their exact location. The only problem, in Olivia''s case, had been the food. All he had to do was open his mouth to catch fish and crabs, but she refused to eat anything other than seaweed as all other options made her sick to her stomach as she couldn''t cook them over a campfire.


    She must feel weak, Silas thought, maybe he should hunt something for her, but he doubted she would want to eat it. He figured that with his new teeth he should be able to hunt larger animals, even though Numi had warned him not to hunt anything that looked like a seal. He didn''t know what a seal really looked like, so she explained that it resembled a water dog, only with flippers.


    But he hadn''t seen any of those creatures. Maybe they must have been hiding as soon as they saw him. Well, of course, he thought proudly, he had become the terror of the seas and all marine creatures treated him with respect. Even a huge, rather ugly, toothy fish, which Olivia told him was called a shark, had passed close enough without doing anything to him.


    Other than that, the few times Olivia spoke to him now was to tell him to come to the surface to look around or when she warned him about the shadow of an approaching ship so they should dive deeper just in case.


    Seeing her so discouraged, he had even offered her to sit on his back so she wouldn''t have to exert herself so much. He had to insist for a long time until she finally accepted.At that moment they were slowly moving forward, with Olivia holding on to the base of his dorsal fin and letting herself be dragged along as she floated in a horizontal position.


    What on earth had happened in the lake? From what Silas had understood, the attack had been perpetrated by the wizards of Shadowrock Castle, but the Count was there as well, so he didn''t understand anything. A betrayal, for sure, and it was obvious that the nobleman had been very affected, because he even allowed his daughter to continue her journey with the chimera.


    Now that Silas thought about it, in the kingdom of Terrarkana, both he and Olivia were unusual creatures. She even more so, since he was not the only one of his kind. Perhaps that was what the Count had meant when he said she couldn''t stay there.


    Silas was sure Olivia had looked happy when her father agreed to let her go. Things had begun to change after her last conversation with Numi, as they were about to cross the mouth of the lake.


    ¡°This is where we split up,¡± the sirenian announced.


    ¡°Won''t you come with us?¡± asked Olivia.


    Numi shook her head.


    ¡°I can''t leave without knowing what will happen to my grandfather. It will take some time for him to heal. Besides, I think it''s a journey you''ll want to make alone... with Silas, of course,¡± she winked. ¡°I''ve also sometimes wanted to keep my distance from my family, at least for a while.¡±


    ¡° I...¡±


    ¡°But now I must stay. Any day now, the news will reach the capital. There will be a huge mess. I have to stay with my people now. I''m sure you''ll be fine. All you have to do is follow the gulf, and when you get to Misty Dream just keep heading east without losing sight of the coast, until you get to Stormbrace. Once there you will have to go into the Freedom Sea, and go straight to the island.¡±


    Numi made it sound so easy, but Silas had his doubts. After all, she was a sirenian, and could not fully grasp how difficult it could be for someone who was not.


    ¡°Numi, I''m sorry,¡± Olivia said.


    ¡°Why are you sorry?¡± the other asked in confusion.


    ¡°Your village, the promontory...¡±


    The sirenian''s eyes darkened.


    ¡°It is not your fault. It was the wizards. They will pay for what they did,¡± she looked Olivia straight in the eyes. ¡°Our father will see to it.¡±


    Olivia didn''t respond, and Numi sighed before continuing.


    ¡°Once you get to the island, I will pay you a visit, you can count on that... once this settles down, of course. I hope it won''t be too long.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever been there?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes, but I prefer the northern islands, they are much warmer.¡±


    ¡°Have you met any hybrids?¡±


    ¡°Yes... but I won''t tell you anything. It will be more fun if you meet them yourselves... Well... we must say goodbye now... I hate long goodbyes... I hate them... every year when I have to leave the lake it''s my least favorite part. Silas, take care of my sister, or I''ll make you pay.¡±


    As a reply, Silas splashed her with a wag of his tail.


    The sirenian laughed, and began to swim away on her back.


    ¡°When we meet again, we''ll have a long sisters'' talk!¡° she shook her hand. ¡°I trust you with my heart, to be returned!¡±


    After a few seconds, Olivia replied, though with some hesitation:


    ¡°I trust you with my heart... to be guarded!¡±


    The sirenian laughed again, and after taking a leap got lost in the current on her way back towards the lake, as Olivia and the orca crossed the mouth.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    When Silas asked her what was that about, Olivia explained it was how the sirenians said goodbye to their loved ones who stayed the long way through the winter.


    Now remembering all that, Silas couldn''t help but think that maybe Olivia was feeling homesick. There couldn''t be any other reason, unless she truly felt guilty about what had happened at the lake.


    That gloomy person was not the Olivia he knew. He had to shake things up a bit, maybe that would wake her up.


    Without saying anything to her, Silas began to gradually increase his speed, until she herself noticed and took a tighter grip on his fin. The orca felt how she placed her legs on both sides of his back to hold on better.


    ¡°Silas, what are you doing?¡±


    He didn''t answer her, and accelerated even more, which gave him the impression that he was flying, or, at least, he thought he was, because he had never flown before. Each flapping caused powerful ripples through the water in a way that he barely sensed the density of the water. The underwater landscape was passing by very fast, the colors of the coral mantles were blending together, and shoals of fish were scattering before the flashing passage of the killer whale.


    ¡°Silas!¡± her screams sounded muffled by the water.


    Suddenly, he had an idea. Instead of moving forward he began to swim in circles and thousands of bubbles enveloped them forming columns.


    ¡°Silas, I''m getting dizzy!¡±


    He ignored her, and then flipped his body, so that he was belly up, while Olivia was upside down. He repeated the action several times, creating a whirlpool behind him.


    ¡°Stop it! I hate you so much right now!¡±


    He would much rather she got angry with him than continue to be sad. Still, for a moment he seemed to obey her, because he stopped turning and stood with his head looking up at the shimmering surface under the sun''s rays. Another thought crossed his mind, and before Olivia let go of his fin he accelerated again, this time towards the bottom, to take up the run, and before he hit the sand he turned to climb back up.


    Throughout the whole operation, Olivia kept shouting.


    ¡°What are you going to do? Stop! Don''t be childish, what''s the matter with you?¡±


    Silas continued to ascend while propelling himself with the force of his tail movements, until suddenly he felt his body break the surface of the water and fresh air wrapped around him. His body curved in a perfect arc, and as he took the leap he surveyed the width of the vast gulf and the distant coastline at both ends.


    He fell back into the water, his head pointing down to keep Olivia from being hurt by the impact and again the dark blue filled his vision.


    Surrounded by bubbles, the orca stopped and remained still, floating quietly to take a break from all the spinning.


    Olivia, who until then had clung to him as if her life depended on it, suddenly let go.


    ¡°Why did you do all that?¡± she asked breathlessly.


    ¡°Because I could, and it was fun, don''t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Well... yes, a little, but...¡±


    ¡°You''ve become boring.¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    ¡°When I met you, you crossed an entire castle, jumped out of a window from several meters high, went through a forest, got inside a tree, met a dark elf and became friends with sirenians. Since the attack, you seem different.¡±


    ¡°Didn''t you see that the village was destroyed?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but why do I sense that you feel responsible? You couldn''t have prevented it.¡±


    She was silent.


    ¡°We are traveling to the island,¡± Silas continued. ¡°If all goes well, we will meet the Archmage. There is nothing to stop us. Your father is not looking for us, your mother is far away locked in her forest, the wizards who attacked the lake must already be receiving their punishment.¡±


    ¡°Why do you care so much about how I feel?¡± Olivia asked suspiciously.


    Now it was Silas who kept quiet. She was right, why did he care? Why had he gone to so much trouble to make her feel better? Why was he feeling disappointed again? He knew she would be angry at those unplanned somersaults, but a part of him hoped she would end up laughing too and would have enjoyed it as much as he had.


    That half human was driving him insane.


    ¡°What I mean...¡± Olivia continued. ¡°You have changed too.¡±


    The orca turned his head.


    ¡°Nonsense, I''m still the same, it''s you who''s changed. You used to be a chattering magpie ,and now you hardly talk at all.¡±


    ¡°I don''t understand, Silas,¡± Olivia rubbed her forehead. ¡°Before, it bothered you that I talked? And now it bothers you that I don''t talk?¡±


    ¡°I don''t like either. Can''t you just not talk too much or too little?¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry, dear Mister Chimera, I''ll try to be more perfect for you,¡± Olivia scoffed.


    ¡°I don''t understand why it''s so hard for you to find a balance,¡± growled the orca.


    ¡°If I bother you so much, then we can continue our journey separately.¡±


    ¡°I promised your father, and also to Numi, I would take care of you.¡±


    Actually, no, he had never made such promise. He had just let them think he would, but luckily Olivia didn''t seem to remember that small detail.


    She folded her arms.


    ¡°And since when do you care about my father and Numi?¡±


    ¡°It''s not about them, it''s about keeping my word... a chimera''s word.¡±


    ¡°You just made that up, didn''t you?¡±


    ¡°You think we chimeras have no honor?¡± he said accusingly.


    ¡°Well... no, I didn''t mean that.¡±


    ¡°I feel offended.¡±


    ¡°Silas...¡± Olivia sighed wearily, and several bubbles gathered around her face. ¡°I''m tired.¡±


    While they were having that conversation, Silas had hoped that he had brought back the old Olivia, but the effect had not lasted long as she was showing that sad face from the beginning. Next time he would come up with more tricks, but for now he would leave her alone. He turned around, and wagged his tail, indicating that she could get back on his back.


    ¡°I promise to go slowly," he said. ¡°Chimera''s word.¡±


    A small smile tugged at Olivia''s lips, and she sat back on the orca.


    Silas kept his word, and moved forward at a turtle''s pace enjoying again the pleasant sensation of floating in the dark water. They were silent for a while until, Olivia spoke suddenly:


    ¡°Silas, do you have siblings?¡±


    The chimera was bothered by the question, but feared that if he didn''t answer, she would withdraw into herself again.


    "On my mother''s side, no. On my father''s side, some, although I didn''t end up getting along with them. As cubs we could get along, but then things changed."


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°What you already know. I couldn''t grow my powers, and I became the shame of the pack.¡±


    ¡°I''m so sorry about that. It must have been very difficult.¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t matter anymore.¡±


    ¡°But, um... what about your parents? I can''t believe that...¡±


    ¡°I''d rather not talk about it.¡±


    She didn''t insist, and Silas thanked her silently.


    ¡°Oh... by the way...¡± said Olivia after several minutes. ¡°How old are you?¡±


    The orca stopped suddenly, startled by the question.He didn''t feel like answering that either, but he thought that if he kept refusing Olivia would stop talking to him.


    ¡°Since I was born... it''s been... sixteen springs.¡±


    ¡°Sixteen?¡± Olivia was really surprised. ¡°You''re younger than me?¡±


    ¡°Yes...¡± Silas didn''t like the sound of that, he should have lied. ¡°Only by a year, though... You thought I was older?¡±


    ¡°Well, I had no idea... How could I tell? Besides... Springs you said? You mean it''s just been your birthday? Or maybe it will be soon? We have to celebrate!¡±


    Oh no, the old Olivia seemed to be back. But it was his fault he had brought it on himself.


    "Chimeras don''t do stupid things like that!¡± Silas shook himself remembering some scenes in the castle kitchen when they sat the servants in front of the table to sing them a foolish song and force them to blow out a small candle that had been placed on top of a cake. He didn''t understand why they made such a big fuss about it, it was ridiculous. He wasn''t willing to go through such an embarrassment. He could already imagine Olivia singing and clapping like a fool as she handed him a turtle shell to make up for the lack of a cake.


    ¡°As soon as I can, I''ll bake you a cake,¡± she said determinedly.


    ¡°What for?¡±


    She ignored the question.


    ¡°My birthday is in winter by the way, I think...¡±


    ¡°You expect me to bake you a cake?¡±


    ¡°Anything will do.¡±


    Insufferable half-human...


    The subject was settled there, and they continued to move forward in silence, although Silas was then left curious as to what kind of cake she could bake him. The ones he had been allowed to try in the kitchen, while being in his cat form, were delicious... especially the apple ones.


    He heard again that she was sighing on his back. He couldn''t see her face, but she sure looked sad again.


    What a frustrating situation.


    However, this time she didn¡¯t stay silent.


    ¡°Silas¡­ I need to talk to someone about this¡­ what happened at the lake¡­¡±


    Suddenly, Olivia let out a scream.


    Silas stopped just in time to feel something sharp pass very close to his belly.


    ¡°What was that?¡± he asked, looking into the dark depths.


    ¡°A harpoon!¡± she shouted. ¡°They¡¯re trying to hunt you!¡±


    Silas raised his head and saw it. A ship. Quite large. Did they want to capture just the whale, or maybe a wizard had discovered him?


    ¡°Hold on tight!¡± Silas yelled, and without wasting any more time, his body sped away from the vessel at maximum speed.


    This time, despite Olivia¡¯s screams, he continued forward like a gust of wind to ensure the ship was left behind. It shouldn¡¯t be much farther to Misty Dream, and they might encounter more ships like that one. He had to go as fast as he could; they couldn¡¯t prolong their journey any longer.


    ¡°Silas!¡±


    ¡°We have to get away!¡±


    ¡°No, Silas! Wait!¡±


    He felt her hold on tighter to his body. Then he began to feel something strange at the back of his body, a tingling sensation.


    ¡°Your¡­ your¡­ tail!¡± she screamed. ¡°It¡¯s gone!¡±


    His tail had disappeared, and now he was hurtling forward like a projectile with no control over his body. He tried to move his fins, but then the same sensation invaded the rest of his body.


    He was losing his form.


    ¡°Silas!¡± Olivia had let go of him, and her voice sounded distant.


    Suddenly, his body stopped, and ended up suspended in the void, but this time it didn''t feel good.


    Like a slow internal drum announcing disaster, each heartbeat reverberated through the rest of his body.


    He wanted to call out to Olivia, but he had lost the ability to breathe. The water that had made him feel so free in the recent days was now killing him, filling his nose and mouth, trying to reach his lungs.


    ¡°I was drowning,¡± Olivia had told him in the forest, ¡°don''t you know how that feels?¡±


    His body had shrunk, but felt heavier. It was as if invisible hands were emerging to drag him into the depths. The sunlight above his head turned off until everything went dark.


    He could no longer hear Olivia.


    He wished he could hear her one more time before his mind faded away forever.

 Chapter 33 - The first form

    ¡°Silas!¡±


    Olivia couldn''t see him. His body seemed to have been propelled by the previous impulse the orca had taken at the moment of escape, until he got lost in the dark blue of the gulf among the messiness of coral and rock formations.


    He should have transformed by now, but she didn''t know which animal she was supposed to be looking for. A mouse? A cat? A fox? A dog? Could he have transformed into an aquatic animal?


    The latter was unlikely. In all their time together, he had never been able to acquire a new form so easily, except when the sirenians had helped him.


    ¡°Silas!¡±


    He was going to drown at any moment, if she didn''t find him soon. She swam with all her might until she felt a burning sensation in her limbs despite being underwater. She moved forward but there was no point. She looked in all directions, toward the shiny surface, toward the black bottom.


    Nothing. There was no trace of the chimera. If she were a Master, she would have been able to detect him, but she had nothing more than her human eyes to look for.


    ¡°Silas! Silas!¡±


    Time was running out and her cries, muffled by the water, were getting more and more desperate. It even hurt her to breathe.


    ¡°I can help you,¡± said a voice.


    No! Not again! She turned her head, wishing with all her heart that the voice belonged to some sirenian who happened to be passing by, but there was no one there.


    ¡°I''m here¡± the voice said again.


    ¡°No, no, leave me alone! Go away!¡±


    ¡°I can help you save your friend, but I need to borrow your body.¡±


    The voice didn''t sound like before, it sounded even sharper and calmer, but Olivia wasn''t going to trust that strange being who had made her destroy the Lake Village.


    ¡°I don''t want your help, never! Get out of my head!¡±


    It seemed to her that the voice sighed before saying:


    ¡°We don''t have time for this. I was trying to be nice, but now I''ll have to do it by force. Sorry.¡±


    And for the second time, Olivia''s mind was plunged into the darkness, much deeper than the waters of the gulf as she felt her own body move on its own, without her being allowed to say anything.


    Like the previous time, everything became confusing as a swirl of sensations followed one after the other as if time had sped up. The pressure of the water, the sound of bubbles, a back and forth of light and shadow, the weight of another body clinging to hers, the tug of something strong, distant and distorted voices, screams, the members of the tribe running, fire, a fire coming from her own hands, her father''s frightened face and Daephennya''s smile.


    Her body boiled as if engulfed in flames.


    What have you done?


    Monster.


    ¡°No!¡±


    She woke up in the middle of the gloom. Her body felt like burning, heavy. She tried to move, but something prevented her from doing so. She shook her numb legs and arms, sensing an unexpected resistance. However, as she moved both hands, she realized it was nothing more than a blanket.


    Where...?


    She tried to calm her racing heart. She blinked several times, until the shadows subsided and she noticed tiny white circles above her and faint glows filtering in from somewhere.


    A sudden twinge lashed her head. She closed her eyes, and put her hands to her temples. It felt like something wanted to burst out of her, like a chick trying to break the eggshell. She had to wait several minutes for the pain to ease and her mind to clear again.


    She already knew that feeling. She had experienced it after waking up on the shore of the lake. After the creature...


    The creature!


    ¡°Are you there? Hey! What did you do with Silas?


    No one answered. The only thing she heard was something moving beside her, and when she opened her eyes she saw that it was another person, lying with her back to her and covered by a similar blanket. She examined the place better, and realized that it was the inside of a tent.


    Now she heard muffled voices from the other side. Suddenly the entrance to the tent opened, and let out a flash of light that blinded her for a moment.


    ¡°Ah, you''re awake! How are you feeling, do you still have fever?¡± said the dark silhouette of a woman who approached, and tried to lay a hand on Olivia''s forehead, but she pulled back.


    ¡°Where am I?¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, you''re safe,¡± it was a middle-aged woman with a sweet face wrapped in brown curls. She was wearing a simple green dress. ¡°We thought you had drowned, but you were just...¡±


    ¡°Was there a dog with me?¡± Olivia interrupted her, feeling the panic rising in her.


    ¡°A dog?¡±


    ¡°Or a fox? A mouse? Any animal with me?¡±


    ¡°No, no animal, was it your pet?¡±


    With some effort, Olivia sat up, and realized she was wearing a thin white nightgown. Her legs were shaking as she tried to stand up, but she had to get out and find Silas as soon as possible.


    ¡°I... don''t advise you to...¡± the woman told her.


    Olivia pushed her away when she tried to hold her down, and stumbled out of the tent.


    Outside she discovered a couple of similar tents, plus three wagons and horses grazing nearby. They were located in the shelter of a small pine forest, not far from what appeared to be the blue line of the coast.


    Regardless of the cold, Olivia ran in that direction. She immediately felt the breeze under the folds of her clothes, and the pain in her bare feet as she stepped on some small stone that dug into her soles.


    ¡°Gorwan!¡± she heard the woman scream as soon as she left the tent.


    Fearing that someone would stop her, she sped up even more until she felt some pressure in the side of her stomach.


    She had to stop suddenly to avoid falling down a ravine that ended in the sand. From that height she observed the coastline. In the distance she saw a ship passing by on its way to the sea, but nothing else. She managed to slide down until she landed face down on the sand.


    ¡°Silas!¡±


    There was no point in shouting. There was nothing or no one to suggest the presence of the chimera.


    ¡°Silas!¡±


    Her throat felt dry, and her screams sounded like the cries of a dying bird. She put her hands to her neck. There was nothing. Just as Numi had told her. Once on dry land, they were gone. She could not return to the water.


    She surveyed the vast surface of the gulf whose waves lapped before her with cruel indifference. Lying on the sand, her strength gone, all she could do was let out a shriek of frustration.


    It was her fault. Everything was her fault. The lake, the fire, the explosi¨®n, all the injured people. Silas had stayed because he thought she was in danger, when in fact she was the danger herself. He should have left the lake earlier, gone on his way alone, with nothing to slow him down. But she wanted to go to the island, and her selfishness had caused Silas...


    No, please don''t. She wished she was wrong. Great Blue Dragon, Nymph Nemertyss, Giant Yogard, Eternals of the infinite sky, please let her friend continue safely on his journey across the sea.


    Silas was gone. All she could do was pray that he was all right.


    ¡°Did you call me?¡±


    Olivia''s heart stopped. It was the same voice she had heard underwater.


    ¡°What did you do with him?¡±


    The voice sighed.


    ¡°I told you I''d save him.¡±


    ¡°And where is he?¡± Olivia shouted in desperation as she rolled over on the sand, shivering from the cold because of her wet nightgown.


    ¡°Look closer,¡± the voice told her. ¡°We''ll talk later, someone''s coming.¡±


    With that said, Olivia felt a blanket fall over her, and she began to tremble.


    ¡°Easy, easy, easy,¡± said a male voice.


    Startled, Olivia turned to look at him, and found a tall man in brown clothes, perhaps older than her father, with gray hair tied in a ponytail, and a serene face marked by wrinkles.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°You are safe, no one is going to hurt you,¡± said the man, raising his hands to indicate that he did not intend to touch her. ¡°My name is Gorwan. I am part of a group of traveling actors. You were in our camp when you woke up.¡±


    Olivia was about to answer him, but instead of words she only managed to sob and instantly began to cry. She could not believe anything that evil voice had said. To her it was nothing more than a cruel hoax.


    ¡°Oh, heavens,¡± the man''s fingers moved hesitantly, perhaps wondering if he should comfort her or stay as he was. ¡°Deema... the woman who was taking care of you, she said you asked about a dog... but... I''m so sorry, there was no animal when...¡±


    Olivia''s crying intensified.


    ¡°I''m sorry, I''m sorry,¡± Gorwan decided to rest his hands on her shoulders. ¡°I''m sure it was an exceptional pet...¡±


    ¡°He wasn''t a pet!¡± Olivia said as she cried.


    ¡°I understand, I understand. I also had a dog once. It really felt like he was family.¡±


    Olivia didn''t know how long she cried, maybe an hour or more, until she felt empty inside with no will to continue. Gorwan stayed by her side the whole time.


    At one point the woman, Deema, also appeared, and tried to convince her to return to the shelter of the tent. She explained that when they found her she was burning up with fever, and they feared she would relapse.


    Olivia, now too weak, let them lift her up and carry her back to the camp.


    ¡°How many days have passed?¡± Olivia asked.


    ¡°You have been sleeping for two days,¡± said Gorwan.


    Two days! And all that time, Silas...


    ¡°When you are ready, you will tell us everything,¡± said the woman, stroking her back to help her warm up. ¡°Were there many people on the ship?¡±


    ¡°The ship?¡± Olivia asked confused.


    ¡°The ship you were on... it sank, didn''t it?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Olivia couldn''t even come up with a lie at that moment.


    ¡°Deema, maybe we should wait?¡± the man said.


    ¡°There could be other survivors, Gorwan.¡±


    ¡°We already looked around...¡±


    The woman turned her eyes toward Olivia''s, and she desisted.


    ¡°Don''t worry, I am very anxious. You must be very confused after all that time floating in the water. You and the boy were very lucky... You can stay with us as long as you need. We can wait a couple of days until you both recover, although to be frank after that we must continue our travel because there are people waiting for us in the next town. You can come with us, of course. We will find a solution.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you...¡± was all Olivia could say until she realized there was something that didn''t make sense with what the woman had just said. ¡°I''m sorry... What boy?¡±


    Both the man and the woman looked at her in confusion as they continued to approach the camp from where a group of people, the rest of the supposed actors, were watching them as they prepared to light a campfire.


    ¡°Well... the boy who was with you, of course," answered Gorwan.


    ¡°No, there was no boy with me,¡± said Olivia.


    ¡°It must be another passenger on the ship, Gorwan. She doesn''t have to know him.¡±


    Deema seemed very sure of the story she was making up for Olivia.


    ¡°A boy you say?¡± Olivia asked again.


    They both nodded.


    It had to be a coincidence. Maybe just when she had lost sight of Silas, someone had fallen off a boat and ended up... in the same exact spot where she happened to appear unconscious.


    Impossible, no, no. Silas was gone. Besides, he would have told her about something that important.


    Although Silas had never told her many things.


    ¡°Look closer¡±, that damned voice had told her.


    ¡°Silas!¡±


    As she entered the tent again and lunged at the boy who all that time had been dozing beside her, Olivia didn''t know whether she should feel hopeful, happy, or furious.


    She could be wrong, but she took a chance, and began to shake the boy by the shoulders until he woke up. Deema and Gorwan had stood at the entrance to the tent, possibly watching her with horrified eyes at her lunatic behavior.


    ¡°Silas!¡±


    ¡°Olivia?¡± the boy said. His voice sounded a little different in this new form, but it was definitely the same.


    His face was unlike any she had ever seen before. The first thing that caught her attention were his almond-shaped golden eyes, under thick eyebrows which gave him an intense expression. His hair, long and dark brown like a lion''s fur, fell in messy waves. His nose was broad, as were his lips. His skin was of a warm, tanned tone, typical of someone who had lived exposed to the elements.


    There was nothing more that could tell it was him, except that annoyed, arrogant look he was giving to her.


    ¡°You''re alive!¡± Olivia shouted.


    He pulled away after getting tired of being held by the shoulders. She was too angry to feel embarrassed.


    ¡°Of course I''m alive!¡± his face frowned even more.


    She couldn''t believe that she had been crying for a whole hour for him!


    "Where are we?¡± asked Silas while rubbing his eyes.


    ¡°I don''t care about that right now! Why didn''t you tell me?¡±


    ¡°Tell you what?¡±


    Olivia looked toward the entrance of the tent, and gave an intense look at the two onlookers who folded the tent fabric to give them privacy.


    ¡°Maybe it was just a momentary memory loss?¡± she heard Deema say as she walked away from the tent.


    ¡°They both seem traumatized,¡± agreed Gorwan.


    With them gone, Olivia began to speak to him in whispers:


    ¡°Why didn''t you tell me that you could transform into a human?¡±


    He snorted before answering.


    ¡°Nonsense. I can''t transform into a human because I''m a...¡± he interrupted himself as he looked at his large, thin hands, and immediately, began to scream as if someone had plunged a knife in the middle of his chest.


    ¡°Is everything all right?¡± asked Deema who now seemed to have approached the tent again, but did not dare to enter.


    ¡°Yes, everything is fine!¡± exclaimed Olivia.


    ¡°No! Everything is not fine at all!¡± exclaimed Silas.


    ¡°Is everything fine or not?¡± asked Deema.


    ¡°Yes, don''t worry!¡± answered Olivia, and before Silas could answer she covered his mouth with one hand. Then she heard Deema walking away once again, while muttering something.


    Silas let go of her hand.


    ¡°There is no way!¡± he said, although in a lower tone.


    He stood up from his bed placed on the floor revealing a body the same height as Olivia. She tried not to laugh when she saw he was also wearing a nightgown, but avoided looking at his bare calves, feeling uncomfortable.


    ¡°Silas... is it really you?¡±


    Silas had closed his eyes and clenched his fists. It looked like he was trying to transform but to no avail.


    ¡°I didn''t know that chimeras could transform into humans!¡±


    He opened his eyes, and his golden eyes glared furiously at her.


    ¡°I''m not human, I''m a chimera! And this... this is only my first form.¡±


    ¡°What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°What you hear. My first form.¡±


    ¡°I mean... you were born hum...¡±


    ¡°Don''t you dare say human!¡±


    ¡°But you...¡±


    ¡°We have some similarities...¡±


    ¡°Just some?¡±


    ¡°Elves also look like humans, but you don''t call them that, do you? I''m not human, I''m a chimera. This is my first form and nothing more.¡±


    He was actually right, but she was still mad with him.


    ¡°You could have told me anyway, and I would have understood!¡±


    ¡°I thought you knew!¡±


    ¡°How could I?¡±


    ¡°Your books.¡±


    ¡°In my books it didn''t say anything about...¡±


    ¡°I figured,¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°Do wizards know about this?¡±


    ¡°I doubt it... though I don''t think it matters. What did you think my first form would be?, he asked curious.


    ¡°I thought it was the mouse! Or perhaps a tadpole!¡±


    ¡°A tadpole! Really?!¡± he seemed just as indignant as when she had called him human. ¡°Besides, you never asked me!¡±


    ¡°I thought it would be rude to ask!¡±


    Silas sighed and then explained that chimeras actually despised that first form because of its similarity to the human body, as well as being a reminder of the Blue Dragon''s curse that had deprived them of their original form. For that reason, infants were taught to transform even before they could walk, so that they would remain in that form as little as possible. In Silas'' case, it had taken him a long time to leave that form behind until he managed to turn into a mouse, but that was not enough to make the pack happy, and they decided to abandon him. Since he had left the mountains, he was pretty succesful at avoiding that form.


    ¡°Well, now you know. Don''t worry, I''ll transform back. I''d rather be a mouse... than this... But I think I''ll need some time to regain my strength...¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me that all this time you could have taken... this form... and you didn''t? You could have saved us a lot of trouble!¡±


    ¡°I would draw more attention, just look at me.¡±


    Yes, he had a point. For one thing, those golden eyes were sure to draw attention even from humans who weren''t wizards.


    ¡°Still... I carried you all over the castle... and into the forest...¡±


    Now it was Olivia who began to scream in horror.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± asked Silas confused.


    ¡°I just realized!¡± Olivia had grabbed her head with both hands.


    ¡°About that?¡±


    ¡°About all that time I slept with a boy inside a tree!¡±


    All the colors in the world flashed across Silas'' face.


    ¡°Shut up! If they hear you, people are going to start getting weird ideas!¡±


    Olivia couldn''t help but continue groaning for a long time until Deema appeared again to hand them both a change of clothes and tell Silas where he could go to get dressed.


    Olivia thanked her in silence.


    As she helped her get dressed, Deema couldn''t stop talking.


    They had been very lucky. After the actors had set up camp, she and another girl had gone for a walk along the coast. When they approached the ravine, they spotted the two survivors from the distance. While the other girl ran back to the camp to ask for help, Deema reached them and after a quick inspection realized that they were still breathing. With the help of the rest of the group, they managed to carry them to the tent and warm them up. Silas seemed to be bearing the coldness of the water pretty well, but Olivia had suffered a fever in her sleep.


    ¡°It must have been terrible, terrible," she lamented. ¡°When I saw you poor things, I thought you were dead. It would have been logical. You at least had a few rags on you, but the boy was just as he came into the world.¡±


    Olivia was thankful she had been unconscious.


    ¡°How did you get here?¡± asked Deema.


    ¡°There was a storm," said Olivia. If she told her they were shipwrecked, they would start looking for the bodies of the other survivors. ¡°And we accidentally fell off the ship.¡±


    ¡°A storm?¡± the woman was puzzled. ¡°But these days have been so pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it was offshore.¡±


    ¡°You''re coming from the sea!?¡±


    ¡°We managed to grab hold of a piece of wood, and somehow we got here. I don''t... I don''t remember very well, only fragments.¡±


    Olivia didn''t know if everything she just had said was plausible. She had read something similar in one of the stories she loved so much. It was about a girl who had been shipwrecked, and lost her memory. Arriving in strange lands, she met a nobleman who fell in love with her, and they soon married. But then the girl regained her memory, and realized that she had married her brother''s enemy who should still be looking for her.


    Oh, how much she missed her books.


    ¡°Oh, right, your memory loss,¡± said Deema. ¡°So in the end you knew each other?¡±


    She couldn''t say they were siblings, as it happened to the protagonist of another story. They didn''t look anything alike.


    ¡°We became friends on the ship.¡±


    Deema looked at her with some suspicion in her eyes ,but said nothing. Olivia had already understood that the woman liked to make up stories that she took for granted without any proof other than her own conjectures.


    As Olivia thought of another story she could use to continue piecing together her lie, she remembered something, and couldn''t help but let out another groan.


    ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Deema asked in fright.


    Olivia replied she had a headache. But in reality she had just realized that, far from looking like a fearless wizard who rescued magical creatures, she had become one of those girls who would abandon her family for a boy. Maybe Deema was already seeing it that way.


    ¡°Poor thing, I''ll go see if we have any remaining herbs. We''ll buy more when we get to the next town,¡± Deema left the tent, but not before handing Olivia a brush and a mirror. ¡°The dress is a little big on you, but nothing we can''t fix. You''ll see, we''re used to doing everything here. But I don''t want to rush things. When you feel ready, you''ll meet the rest of the group.¡±


    Once alone, Olivia lifted the mirror, and looked at her face. She looked tired and haggard. The blue of her eyes seemed dull. The ends of her hair were pointing in all directions, but just before she could do anything, big dark eyes appeared in the mirror.


    ¡°Hello!¡± greeted the cheerful voice of what sounded like a girl with flame-red hair. ¡°Don''t you dare scream!¡±


    Olivia covered her own mouth to avoid the startled scream that would have sent Deema running back to the tent.


    ¡°We have a lot to talk about,¡± said the girl in the mirror. ¡°But the first thing is to make sure your chimera friend doesn''t get caught.¡±

 Chapter 34 - The others

    ¡°It''s you!¡± Olivia shrieked, trying to keep her voice low despite her indignation.


    The girl in the mirror shook her head.


    ¡°Well, no...¡±


    ¡°You attacked the Lake Tribe!¡±


    ¡°No, that wasn''t me,¡± replied the girl quite confidently.


    ¡°How is that? I''m seeing you perfectly... as if you were my own reflection. You''re inside my head!¡±


    The stranger rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Let''s take it one step at a time. First, I didn''t destroy anything. Second, I''m not inside your head.¡±


    ¡°Of course you are! You took control of my body! Twice!¡±


    ¡°I didn''t do that either. Actually, this is the first time we''ve talked.¡±


    Olivia was getting more and more confused, but she was afraid to make that mysterious entity angry and take control of her body once again.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°We don''t have much time...¡±


    ¡°That''s what you said when we were underwater!¡±


    ¡°Again... it wasn''t me... ¡° she sighed. ¡°Listen, someone may come at any moment. Later I... or another person will explain everything to you.¡±


    ¡°Another person? You''re saying there are more?¡±


    ¡°That''s right. Both the person who destroyed the village, and the person who helped you pull your friend out of the water are two different people. I''m the third one who has come in contact with you.¡±


    ¡°But...¡± Olivia grabbed her head, dropping the mirror to the floor. ¡°How many of you are in here?¡±


    ¡°Relax, as I told you, we''re not inside you...it''s a little more complicated...¡±


    Olivia bent down to pick up the mirror.


    ¡°And that''s supposed to make me feel better? Where the hell are you then? Stop messing with my mind!¡±


    ¡°Don''t worry, I don''t plan to do anything except talk. Although there are others who might want to take advantage... It''s a pity all the time you wasted. You should be able to master your power by now.¡±


    ¡°I was so close to becoming an Acolyte!¡±


    The girl laughed.


    ¡°Acolyte... please... I don''t mean human magic, that''s too basic. They''ve been fooling you all this time.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°To be fair. I don''t think your mentor knew about it. Daephennya probably didn''t tell him...¡±


    ¡°Tell him what?¡±


    ¡°How to unleash your power. Until now it was blocked by a seal she herself created at the time of your birth.¡±


    ¡°I have a seal in my code?¡±


    ¡°You had... The person who attacked the lake is the same person who broke it... She sensed that you were vulnerable and took advantage of the situation. She shouldn''t have done it... but I admit it was the only way... otherwise you would never have woken up and we would never have been able to communicate with you.¡±


    ¡°But... was it necessary to attack the lake?¡±


    The girl closed her eyes for a moment.


    ¡°It''s too long to explain. I don''t agree with what she did, but...¡± she shook her head.


    ¡°Why was the seal there in the first place, what did Daephennya want?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know the details but... the seal mechanism was to be activated on your wedding day.¡±


    ¡°Why that day?¡±


    ¡°Ah... you''re so slow... no wonder... When it comes to royal weddings, all the most important people in the kingdom attend them, including the Archmages of the Conclave.¡±


    ¡°So...?¡±


    ¡°To Daephennya you were nothing more than a weapon to attack the human kingdom. A weapon that took a long time to create... Centuries, I might say, until she found the right formula.¡±


    Olivia''s face turned pale.


    ¡°What do you mean, a weapon?¡±


    ¡°Relax, you''re not a weapon... although you could become one if you don''t start controlling your power. Even for someone like Daephennya messing with the Codes can have unexpected consequences.¡±


    Olivia was afraid to ask but did so anyway.


    ¡°What am I then?¡±


    ¡°You already know that. You''re a witch.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± she asked frustrated.


    The redhead took a few seconds before deciding to answer.


    ¡°That you''re like me...¡±


    The young lady''s expression changed to one of astonishment.


    ¡°You''re a witch? But...¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes... Daephennya lied about that too. You are not the first witch. You''re not even the second, nor the third... Actually, I have no idea how many of us there are.¡±


    ¡°So... the other two...¡±


    ¡°Are also witches...¡±


    ¡°And where are they?¡±


    The girl was getting tired.


    ¡°As I said, it is very long to explain, and I don''t have time. I don''t know when will be the next time we meet. You''ll have to be careful who you talk to... they might take advantage to make use of your body again, and not in a good way.¡±


    ¡°And there''s nothing I can do about it?¡±


    ¡°It would take me a long time to teach you... The priority now is your friend. In a couple of days you will reach a town where you will most likely meet some wizard who will not take long to figure out what he is.¡±


    ¡°We''ll not leave with them. We''ll go alone.¡±


    The girl giggled.


    ¡°We''re not in the Circle anymore. Do you have any idea how to get to Stormbrace on foot?¡±


    Olivia had no idea. She didn''t even know how far they had swum across the gulf.


    ¡°What''s the solution then?¡±


    ¡°In other circumstances I''d be giving you instructions, but I''m not sure you''d still make it. I''m afraid I''ll have to take control of your body.¡±


    ¡°But you said...!¡±


    ¡°I''m sorry," replied the girl awkwardly. ¡°I promise not to destroy anything.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    The girl let out a groan.


    ¡°First I need to find an object that can serve as a talisman. Something similar to what Daephennya gave you. With that I will create a shield that can hide the true essence of your friend. With so little time I won''t be able to work miracles, but if he doesn''t draw too much attention they won''t discover him.¡±


    ¡°But I am not an Architect.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t matter. You saw what happened at the lake. It was enough for the witch to take your body to be able to use her powers. The same happened with the second one who was able to detect your friend in time before he drowned.¡±


    ¡°So... you are an Architect?¡±


    ¡°Architect... please... I am an Oracle.¡±


    ¡°A what?¡±


    ¡°That''s enough for today. You shall continue the lesson with the next witch, if you are lucky enough for her to be as patient as I have been. Ah... my name is Dawn. It was nice to meet you, Olivia.¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Wait, no!¡±


    Darkness once again wrapped around Olivia as if night had come early. Unlike the other times, however, she seemed to sink into a deep, placid, dreamless sleep, as if she were floating in space cradled by a warm breeze.


    She felt like a feather being pushed around aimlessly or like the gentle jellyfish she had seen on her journey with Silas. Voices began to come from somewhere, but they seemed to sing in an unknown language. As they intensified, the dark blanket around her began to be dotted with stars the size of tiny dots that kept expanding until they opened like white roses in spring.


    It was a wonderful feeling.


    She couldn''t say the same about waking up when she was startled by Deema''s screams.


    ¡°Here she is, here she is!¡± exclaimed the woman who had crouched down next to her although Olivia couldn''t see her clearly until a flame landed near her.


    She realized that it was indeed night, and that she was surrounded by a group of shadows that covered the starry sky.


    ¡°She''s conscious! Gorwan, help me!¡±


    With that said, Gorwan''s strong arms lifted Olivia up as if she were nothing more than a feather. She couldn''t even protest as if the dream that had seemed so peaceful to her had actually sucked all the energy out of her.


    ¡°Olivia, what happened?¡± that was Silas'' worried voice next to her, but, when she tried to answer him, all she managed to do was let out a sigh.


    Gorwan carried her back to the tent, and Deema tucked her in.


    ¡°We really thought you had run away,¡± whispered Deema as she placed the tip of a flask on her lips. ¡°But the boy insisted that something must have happened to you, because you wouldn''t leave without him...¡±


    ¡°I didn''t say that,¡± protested Silas very close to them. ¡°I said that she was a stubborn girl whom I couldn''t get rid of until now, and that she shouldn''t be too far away.¡±


    Deema grumbled.


    ¡°He sounded very distressed when he said it.¡±


    ¡°Of course I didn''t!¡±


    Olivia''s eyes couldn''t stand the fatigue, and they closed again.


    She didn''t wake up until the next day. Between the edges and holes of the tent the sunlight was shining in brightly. It must have been very late, for outside she heard a lot of movement. She tilted her head to one side, and bumped into Silas who was sitting on the floor with his legs and arms crossed.


    ¡°You''re finally awake,¡± he growled. His face was scrunched up as if he''d had it that way for a while, although Olivia wondered if that wasn''t the only expression he could make. ¡°What was that all about?¡±


    She rubbed her eyes. She didn''t remember anything about the night before except when they found her lying on the grass, her cold body covered with dew. The only thing that came to her mind was the red-haired girl''s face.


    Dawn.


    Suddenly, Olivia remembered what she had promised her, and began to shake.


    Silas approached her with a frightened look on his face.


    ¡°What''s the matter now?¡±


    ¡°Aha!¡± Olivia triumphantly found among her clothes a small stone tied to a kind of string that seemed to be made from pieces of clothing. On closer inspection it appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary stone that someone had lifted from the ground and polished in some way. The only thing that caught her eye was a tiny sign carved into it with interlocking lines forming an oval that she didn''t know how to interpret.


    She stretched out her hand toward Silas to show it to him.


    ¡°A stone?¡± said he.


    ¡°It''s not just any stone! It''s a shield!¡±


    ¡°The fever must have affected you more than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Put it on!¡±


    ¡°What for?¡± he frowned again.


    ¡°You''ll see!¡± Olivia forced him to hang it around his neck.


    ¡°Okay, okay, okay! I''ll do it!¡±


    That was the moment Deema chose to enter the tent.


    ¡°What''s going on here, is she awake yet?¡± she froze as she witnessed how Olivia had her hands around the neck of Silas who in turn had his hands on Olivia''s shoulders as he tried to push her away. ¡°Ah, so sorry!¡±


    Despite the protests of both of them, who insisted that it wasn''t what it looked like, and that she didn''t have to leave, Deema backed away, and they didn''t hear from her again for quite a while.


    ¡°See what you have done?¡± exclaimed Silas.


    ¡°I don''t care! Now hold still.¡±


    With the collar around his neck, Silas turned his head to look at his own body.


    ¡°I don''t feel anything. What is it supposed to be?¡±


    Olivia explained. She didn''t notice anything different either, until she stared at Silas, and realized that the color of his eyes had changed to an ordinary brown.


    ¡°It''s working!¡± Olivia reached for the mirror lying on the side of the blankets and held it out to him.


    ¡°Ah...¡± Silas looked impressed. ¡°How did you get this?¡±


    There was no lie he could believe so Olivia chose to tell him the truth. That wasn''t the only reason either. She needed to tell someone, and Silas was one of the few people who knew about her true origin.


    ¡°I don''t believe you,¡± he said with a frown after a long time trying to explain everything that happened in a way that made sense. ¡°I''ve seen your powers, I don''t know why you feel so guilty that you even...¡±


    ¡°I don''t feel guilty! I am guilty! Why do you think my father allowed me to leave so suddenly? And how do you explain this?¡± she pointed to the stone around his neck.


    Silas stroked the talisman thoughtfully.


    ¡°And where are these so-called witches?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I have no idea! But she said more of them will appear, so you''ll have to watch out if I lose control again.¡±


    Silas was annoyed at that possibility.


    ¡°And what am I supposed to do when that happens?¡±


    ¡°At least stop me from killing someone.¡±


    ¡°I think you''re overreacting.¡±


    ¡°You saw what happened at the lake yourself!¡±


    Silas went silent again, and it took him a few minutes to speak:


    ¡°You don''t remember anything then?¡±


    ¡°Fragments. Nothing more. Sometimes mixed with memories.¡±


    He folded his arms.


    ¡°Let''s assume that what you say is true,¡± he said. ¡°It wouldn''t be your fault if another magical being took over your body without permission, either. I''ve never heard of that being possible... but I imagine you''d have no way of preventing it.¡±


    Olivia knew that to be true, but neither the members of the tribe nor the wizards who had seen her would think of it that way. Her own father had been terrified enough to send her away from him.


    She could have stopped all that if she had been stronger. If she and Silas had come this far it was due to luck and all the people who had crossed their path, but that could not keep up any longer. The day would come when no one would be able to save her again.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said to Silas.


    He looked at her confused.


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°For not thinking I''m a monster.¡±


    He gave a snort.


    ¡°Don''t be so arrogant. You can''t possibly be a monster. Your level of magic is minimal.¡±


    Olivia didn''t feel so grateful anymore.


    Deema went back to the tent, but this time she didn''t dare go inside, and just let them know that everything was ready for lunch if they wanted to join them.


    Olivia didn''t feel ready to face the rest of the group. Gorwan and Deema were being very nice to them, even though they had so far only caused trouble. There was a chance that the rest of the group might be unhappy with their presence, but she couldn''t avoid them for long either. Dawn was right. They needed to continue their journey together with the actors.


    The whole group was already around the campfire sharing what appeared to be a stew of meat and vegetables whose vapors reached her from the tent. Olivia''s stomach was rumbling after the last few days of eating nothing but seaweed.


    Gorwan stood up when he saw them approaching, and introduced them to the group.


    ¡°Guys, this is Silas and Olivia. You must know them very well by now,¡± he chuckled. ¡°But it was appropriate for us to make the official introductions anyway.¡±


    The man continued pointing out each member and explaining their role within the group. Almost all of them were actors but, due to the lack of more members, they also had to take care of costumes, scenery and make-up, as well as other tasks that were necessary to put on their plays.


    The name of the group was The Walking Dreamers. Gorwan was the director, as well as a musician. Deema was an actress and costume designer. They were husband and wife, and had a son and two daughters, all grown up, who were also part of the cast.


    Everyone welcomed them by shaking hands or nodding their heads as they began to eat. Silas didn''t wait long to sit down on the grass and be served a generous portion, which he took two minutes to devour. Olivia was also starving but felt self-conscious in front of everyone. The couple''s son, Alder, an older boy with honey-colored hair, looked at them with suspicion.


    ¡°My mother says you fell off a boat.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes...¡± Olivia tried to sound weak in the hope that he wouldn''t keep asking.


    ¡°What was the name of the boat?¡±


    ¡°Alder...¡± her father seemed annoyed by the question.


    ¡°What''s the matter? That''s an easy question,¡± he replied mockingly. ¡°Or perhaps your temporary memory loss prevents you from remembering?¡± he turned to Silas. ¡°What about you, do you have amnesia as well?¡±


    Silas was busy devouring his second portion and paid no attention to him.


    ¡°Alder, please,¡± Deema told him in a tired voice as if it was usual for him to behave that way. ¡°You saw the state they were in, they barely survived.¡±


    ¡°Mother is right, Alder,¡± said Elyssa, one of the daughters.


    ¡°Always so tedious,¡± murmured her sister Celestia.


    Just because they almost drowned doesn''t mean they are innocent,¡± protested Alder. ¡°Where did they come from? How did they end up in that situation? We are mere actors, but not stupid. I won''t let them take advantage of my parents'' generosity,¡± he pointed at Silas again. ¡°He is already eating all the food!¡±


    ¡°Alder!¡± exclaimed his family and several other members of the group together as a chorus.


    ¡°They could be fugitives!¡± Alder replied.


    Olivia set her plate down.


    ¡°He''s right,¡± she said, and everyone turned to look at her with surprised eyes.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Alder looked surprised that he had been right, which apparently wasn''t very common.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± repeated Silas next to her, asking with a silent look. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡±


    Olivia put a hand to her forehead.


    ¡°We are fugitives...¡± she continued in the saddest voice she could fake. ¡°But not from the law... but from our families...¡±


    Then she began to tell a story she had read some time ago. A young upper class girl who fell in love with a soldier of the king, but because her family was against it, the two lovers decided to elope.


    Actually, the story did not end there because, as the weeks passed, the soldier understood that he would not be accepted as a husband and, having lost his honor, he took revenge by selling the girl as a slave to a merchant ship which was then freed by a pirate ship. She would then end up being part of the crew and after several sea adventures she would fall in love with the captain.


    So she limited herself to the first part of the story in which they both set sail in a rowboat, but due to their lack of experience the boat ended up capsizing when they crossed the Misty Dream Strait.


    Technically, she had run away from her father, although for a different reason.


    ¡°There is no turning back now. If we return to our families, we will suffer a severe punishment...¡± she said, ending her version of the story.


    ¡°Oh, poor things,¡± Deema said with a hand over her lips. ¡°No wonder you were so distressed. It must have been very hard.¡±


    Silas had kept quiet during the whole narration, although Olivia noticed that it had been very difficult to control himself, for his lips were so tight that they were already turning white. His unfinished plate had been left on the floor, and he kept his clenched fists resting on his crossed legs in a rigid position.


    Olivia shook her head sadly.


    ¡°Really, we don''t mean to intrude. You''ve done too much, and we''re deeply grateful,¡± that was true. ¡°But we have delayed you long enough. We will continue our journey to Stormbrace on our own.¡±


    ¡°Stormbrace?¡± Gorwan was struck by that. ¡°Why that place?¡±


    ¡°I have an aunt who lives there. She supports us, and has agreed to receive us in her home.¡±


    ¡°It''s a long journey...¡± said Deema. ¡°We are not going that far, but you can go with us for a while.¡±


    ¡°It''s not really necessary, we are very grateful but...¡±


    Deema interrupted her with a wave of her hand.


    ¡°I don''t want to discuss it anymore! Gorwan, do you no longer remember my family''s disapproval when I told them I was going to marry an actor?¡±


    ¡°Of course I remember!¡± laughed Gorwan. ¡°I almost had to kidnap you.¡±


    ¡°Father!¡± exclaimed his children, and both parents burst out laughing.


    ¡°But luckily they changed their minds, and it wasn''t necessary,¡± said their father.


    ¡°Not everyone is so lucky,¡± Deema added.


    ¡°No, of course not," nodded Gorwan. ¡°It is decided, you are coming with us. Though we will have to pass through three more towns before we get close enough to Stormbrace. It will be our pleasure to have you join us, and I don''t want to hear one more complaint about it,¡± that last statement was directed at Alder who lowered his head in defeat.


    And so the next day Olivia and Silas continued their journey together with The Walking Dreamers.

 Chapter 35 - The new allies

    If there was anything more tedious than traveling from Nemertya to the Blue Dragon Lake, it was being escorted by a entourage of about thirty wizards belonging to the Control Division, who since they had left the capital acted as if they were going to be attacked at any moment. Rovenna had already lost count of how many times she had to avoid the detention of some innocent traveler who, according to them, could be an undercover wizard who had escaped from the lake.


    They were not without reason because, according to the last report she received, Eldrin''s whereabouts were still unknown, although it would be very foolish of him to escape in the capital''s direction.


    ¡°Or so he wants us to think,¡± Zoran Wildheart, Master Leader of the Control Division, had told her when she had expressed her doubts.


    The traffic on the roads had slowed down, but every now and then they came across a caravan returning from the lake telling different versions of the events. However, no one had seen how the fire had started. If it were up to Zoran, they would have questioned each of them, but time was pressing and they had already lost too much time with those ridiculous interrogations.


    She also wanted to get there as soon as possible as it had been years since she had ridden a horse and her body was paying the price. The chilly nights spent outdoors didn''t help either, and in the morning she woke up with a numb body and a pain in her neck that took a while to alleviate even with magic. She could have chosen any of the carriages available at the Council, but she did not want to give Zoran the satisfaction of seeing her as a feeble old woman who had to be carried around.


    Once near their destination, the procession split up. Zoran and Rovenna, along with other wizards, headed for the lake, while the rest would go to take care of the traitors imprisoned in the castle of Shadowrock.


    They arrived at the lakeside camp before noon. Rovenna expected a desolate scene, but the place was bustling with activity. Members of the tribe, humans and sirenians, as well as Shadowrock soldiers, were moving back and forth between the tents carrying wood and straw from dozens of wagons that had been piled up around them. It seemed that they had already begun the reconstruction.


    As they alighted from their horses, the Count of Shadowrock came up to greet them, and stood in front of them with a simple nod of his head.


    ¡°Master Arcanist.¡±


    ¡°My Lord, I see you haven''t wasted any time, as expected of a worthy Guardian of the Circle.¡±


    ¡°I had the good fortune to be at the lake when all this happened.¡±


    ¡°I see many wagons with wood and straw.¡±


    ¡°Donations from other neighboring villages, as well as from my own castle,¡± he raised his eyebrows. ¡°We also expect to receive something from the capital any time now.¡±


    ¡°I regret to say that I was unable to take care of it due to the haste of my departure, but I am sure the Council will take care of the matter.¡±


    Although the wagons would most likely arrive very late after the huts had already been rebuilt due to all the bureaucracy it took to get a single stick into a wagon and the Count knew that very well.


    Zoran was getting impatient.


    ¡°It was very striking how you managed to stop the wizards. Your report lacked many details,¡± he said in an affected manner.


    ¡°In the face of the urgency, my last concern was to write a report for the Council,¡± the Count replied. ¡°I owe it to the people who are under my protection. Besides, taking into account what has happened to my daughter...¡±


    ¡°I regret your situation, but above all you must answer first to the royal family and to the Council.


    A murderous glint flashed in the Count''s eyes.


    ¡°They were not here to deal with the mess caused by their own wizards.¡±


    ¡°Wizards who were trained by the Order of Shadowrock.¡±


    ¡°By a leader assigned by the Council itself.¡±


    The two men, equal in both height and muscles, took a step forward as if they were going to duel at that very moment.


    ¡°Gentlemen,¡± Rovenna stopped them. ¡°We will get nowhere with these accusations. This attack surprised us all, and we must now join forces to get to the root of the matter. Our first duty is to ensure the peace of the kingdom.


    Zoran kept his gaze fixed on the Count, as if he wanted to ignore the words of her superior, but in the end reason prevailed.


    ¡°Where are the traitors?¡± he asked.


    ¡°The captain of my guard will guide you there. So far we have not been able to get much information out of them.¡±


    The Control Leader smirked.


    ¡°It''s either because you don''t know how to do it or you don''t have the guts. It''s always necessary for us to come in and take care of things properly.¡±


    As expected, Zoran Wildheart, a member of one of the five families, did not hide the animosity he felt towards the Shadowrocks, descendants of common humans who had rebelled during the war of the five wizards, and who later became Guardians of the Circle because the other races were opposed to the wizards taking on that responsibility.


    In any case, the Council soon asserted its control when it forced all lords to admit an order of wizards in every castle, city and town, which limited the powers of the nobles. The Shadowrocks objected to this imposition, but there was little they could do about it if they did not want to risk a new confrontation with the royal family.


    That was why Rovenna had felt alarmed when she heard rumors that Eldrin had become the mentor of the heiress of the Circle, already betrothed to the prince by direct order of his majesty. It was obvious that Eldrin wanted to have some influence over the future queen, but she couldn''t explain how the Count had allowed it.


    ¡°I find it hard to believe that your soldiers stopped the wizards,¡± Rovenna said to the Count as Zoran and the rest of the Control Division moved away. ¡°Which makes me believe that not all of the them betrayed you.¡±


    ¡°There was only one exception: Master Leander Kalas.¡±


    ¡°And Master Leander faced them all alone?¡±


    ¡°He had help. Perhaps you already suspect who I am talking about.¡±


    Rovenna, in fact, suspected it.


    ¡°Did you really think there were chimeras in my castle?¡± the Count asked with a mocking look.


    ¡°That''s confidential, my lord.¡±


    ¡°I see. Anyway, Myrius Sentos has explained the situation to me so to save you the embarrassment of Zoran finding out... we will say that both Korinna Franko and he were looking for work in my castle. As for Fidelia Dabrus, she just wanted to pay a visit to her old home.¡±


    Impertinent man. Though that made things easier for Rovenna. She didn''t feel like explaining to Zoran why she had sent three wizards of dubious skill to investigate about non-existent chimeras.


    ¡°That''s why I asked Fidelia and Leander to go to the castle,¡± the Count added. ¡°While Myrius and Korinna have stayed behind to answer any questions you may have.¡±


    This did not please Rovenna, but she said nothing. She had hoped to meet Fidelia sometime in the evening when Zoran had retired to rest, but now she was going to have to wait for her business at the lake to be finished. Neither Sentos nor Franko were of any use to him.


    They approached the edge of a hill and looked out over the lake shore. The wind had already blown away most of the ash, although there was still evidence of the horror that had occurred days before. On the sand, humans and sirenians were raising the remains of charred huts and in other clean areas they were beginning to place the first piles. It felt strange not to see the promontory, and it was much more difficult to imagine how they had managed to bring down such a huge structure to its very base.


    She asked the Count to take her to the tribe''s chiefs, and he guided her to a huge tent that served as headquarters to organize the reconstruction. Inside were several people who, far from greeting, stared at her as if she was not welcome.


    ¡°Master Arcanist, it''s been a long time,¡± it was Thalassa, a sirenian whom Rovenna knew since her time as an Acolyte. ¡°It is an honor to see you again, though one would think that someone of your importance would join our celebrations.¡±


    She had better things to do than make a pilgrimage every spring to the lake to see a few lights moving in the water. Having seen it a couple of times was enough for her.


    But she couldn''t say that.


    ¡°Maybe next year under better circumstances if we can get all this sorted out.¡±


    Thalassa gave a wide smile showing all her white teeth.


    ¡°As far as we know, they were misguided wizards. My partner told me so himself.¡±


    ¡°Did he see the attack starting?¡±


    ¡°He can tell you in his own words. He is still recovering from his injuries, but he is feeling much better.¡±


    ¡°What about the rest of the chiefs?¡± Rovenna asked when she saw that the others turned their backs on her.


    ¡°They don''t want to talk to you. They have asked me to speak on their behalf.¡±


    They led her to another tent where the wounded were. On the ground, on blankets, lay several humans and sirenians bandaged in various parts of their bodies while being tended to by others who laid their hands on their bodies or helped them to feed.


    Thalassa''s partner, Mantok, lay stiff on the ground, bandaged from head to toe. He was accompanied by a couple of young men, perhaps sons or grandsons.


    ¡°Well, Rovenna, how long has it been?¡± Mantok asked, rolling his eyes at her.


    ¡°I asked her the same question,¡± said Thalassa.


    ¡°My duties prevent me from leaving the capital,¡± Rovenna excused herself. ¡°Perhaps next...¡±


    ¡°A disaster has to happen before you deign to come, doesn''t it?¡± said Mantok in a stern tone that Rovenna, knowing him for years, knew was unusual for him. ¡°Balance between the races will not be achieved by strategies and manipulations alone if they are not accompanied by genuine actions that encourage mutual understanding. We are familiar with the rivalries that exist between the followers of Nemertyss and those of the Blue Dragon. You should be an example.¡±


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Rovenna sighed.


    ¡°I will try to be better... Believe me it was not my intention to offend the tribe, but what you have just described to me is nothing compared to what is brewing both within the Council and the palace.¡±


    The three of them looked at the Count who remained unperturbed, understanding very well what she was referring to.


    ¡°I suppose you have come to ask me what happened,¡± said Mantok and after seeing that Rovenna nodded he began to explain. ¡°Well... we were celebrating the Return as we do every year with our special guests, the Count and his daughter, when suddenly we heard explosions.¡±


    He went on to narrate that the wizards led by this Eldrin Caedos had suddenly appeared. There was no time to do anything. The huts had begun to burn, and everyone had to be evacuated. The Count''s soldiers were camped in the hills, and it took them a long time to reach the shore where the attack had taken place. In the midst of the commotion they realized that Lady Olivia had disappeared along with Eldrin. It seemed that his goal all along had been to abduct the young woman. They were fortunate that just about four wizards, arriving from nowhere, appeared to confront the traitors and capture them. That was how it had been in general terms. Everything had been very confusing and the smoke prevented from seeing everything clearly.


    ¡°I was caught in an explosion, as you can see,¡± finished the chief.


    There were some things that didn''t add up. If Eldrin had wanted to kidnap Lady Olivia, why had he waited so long? Why not kidnap her when she was already in the castle? Eldrin was the Leader of the Order, it would have been so easy. But then again, why abduct her, did he not agree to the marriage? Rovenna knew that the Count had tried everything he could to delay the marriage, but it seemed extreme to her that Eldrin had kidnapped the girl. Did that mean that he was currently on his way to Nemertya as Zoran had suspected? Was the royal family involved in the abduction?


    She felt twinges in her head. She still hadn''t recovered from the journey on horseback. She needed rest to deal with the whole mess.


    But there was one question missing.


    ¡°What about the promontory?¡±


    Thalassa and Mantok crossed eyes so quickly that Rovenna barely had time to see it.


    ¡°No one is sure. It was very dark, there was a lot of smoke. We couldn''t see who the culprit was¡±, replied Mantok.


    Someone with so much power could not go unnoticed by the sirenians, but Rovenna did not want to force them. Any excuse could serve them to request the help of the League of Pirates. Captain Jasper Gloom had assured her that they would take no action for the time being, but his presence in Misty Dream, as Theo had told her through the elven mirror, was too much of a coincidence. Perhaps they were planning a surprise attack?


    ¡°I regret everything that has happened,¡± said Rovenna, lowering her head. ¡°I take full responsibility for this heinous act, and I assure you that all those found guilty will be severely punished. I request a meeting with all the chiefs so that I may offer my sincerest apologies on behalf of the royal family and the Council.¡±


    ¡°We both accept your apology. I will see what can be done with the rest of the chiefs,¡± said Thalassa.


    Mantok began to complain that he felt tired, and Rovenna left the tent along with the Count who escorted her to another one set aside especially for her where a bed had been placed along with a couple of chairs and a desk as well as writing materials.


    The young wizard she had taken in as Theo''s temporary substitute approached with a plate of food. She then lay down for a while, but forced herself to get up to begin dictating to her assistant the reports she was to address to the Conclave.


    That took her most of the afternoon and just as the sun was beginning to set Zoran appeared in her tent looking rather unfriendly, which meant that the interrogation had not gone well despite the desperate screams she had heard in the distance. She had forgotten to tell Zoran to go as far away as possible as there were children everywhere, and besides the sirenians hated that kind of practice.


    She also despised torture, but there was nothing she could do about it. The Conclave had given the direct order to Zoran by stepping over her. But even if they hadn''t, it was well known that Control Division wizards were experts in that method, and lost their patience very easily.


    Nor was the Conclave''s decision unusual. After all, it was tradition that the next Master Arcanist would be the current Leader of the Control Division, just as Rovenna had been in her time. Whoever was in charge of that Division was known to be considered the most powerful wizard in the Council, of course after the Master Arcanist and the Archmages. Fidelia had been so close to becoming a candidate to replace Zoran when the time came, but she had messed it all up by letting her impulses get the better of her.


    During her time leading the Division Rovenna had avoided torture as much as possible, but there were times when she must have been forced to accept it if she didn''t want the rest of her subordinates to consider her weak, an argument that was used daily to get her out of the way, and let Zoran replace her once and for all. It was going to happen at any moment, her detractors said, so why wait any longer?


    Reluctantly, Rovenna invited him to sit down, and his huge body completely covered the chair. In the candlelight Rovenna noticed a splash of blood that had dried on one of his prominent jaws.


    ¡°What did the traitors say?¡± she asked.


    Zoran shook his head and began tapping annoyingly on the table with his blood-soiled fingernails.


    ¡°They have shown a loyalty to Eldrin that would be commendable apart from the disaster they have caused," he replied. Let''s hope for better results with the others in the castle.¡±


    ¡°So you haven''t been told anything then?¡±


    ¡°It''s not that,¡± he looked thoughtful. ¡°It seems incredible, but they have all managed to agree to tell the same story.


    In spite of herself, Rovenna felt interested.


    ¡°What story?¡±


    Zoran went on to tell her the ridiculous story with which, according to him, the traitors were trying to trick them.


    ¡°They really... think we''re fools...¡± the Control Leader clenched his fists. ¡°Tomorrow we will double the torture until they reveal Eldrin''s whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°It''s a story too incredible to be true,¡± said Rovenna.


    ¡°It has no head or tail. I even feel insulted that they think they can fool us like this,¡± he banged the table in such a way that he could have broken it in half. ¡°About the flying carriage.... I already saw one crash with my own eyes when Master Franko tried to do a demonstration that was a complete failure. As for the other two. Sentos is delusional, and Dabrus is utterly useless thanks to that cross seal. I made the cuts myself, you know.¡±


    Rovenna''s stomach turned.


    ¡°I remember, I was there...¡±


    ¡°It''s a seal like no other. I designed it especially for her. Not only does it block her power, but at the slightest attempt it causes indescribable pain. She will never forget her betrayal.¡±


    ¡°What about Master Leander?¡± Rovenna asked, wanting to change the subject.


    ¡°I have not heard very good things about Kalas. He is nothing more than a friend of the Count.¡±


    ¡°And yet it was they who...¡±


    ¡°Let''s suppose they were lucky. I can accept that... They came at the right time, and found them weakened for some reason I still don''t understand... But about the chimera? Really? It makes my blood boil just remembering it. And then blaming an innocent young girl for causing all this.¡±


    ¡°Did they explain how she did it?¡±


    ¡°They say they don''t know... please. The only one who could explain it all would be Eldrin Caedos, but he happens to be missing...¡±


    ¡°So you think he really did abduct Lady Olivia? Even though he...¡±


    ¡°You never know with people. Besides, an Initiate couldn''t do anything of the sort. The Count is putting all his efforts into finding Eldrin... The locals told me that they have seen him very affected by everything that happened even though today when he received us he appeared calm...¡± Zoran jumped out of his chair. ¡°Maybe I should go back now and continue... the longer we wait, the less chance we have of finding the future queen.¡±


    Rovenna dismissed him with a nod, and with a shout called his assistant who was outside the tent.


    ¡°Bring Master Myrius Sentos to me at once,¡± she ordered.


    A few minutes later she had the trembling wizard in front of her.


    ¡°Master Arcanist,¡± he greeted her, lowering his head.


    ¡°Myrus Sentos... haven''t you heard anything about any chimera?¡±


    ¡°Chimera, Master Arcanist? Not really...¡±


    And yet Rovenna knew he was lying. The man didn''t know how to do it. He avoided her gaze, and rubbed his hands together as if he wanted to tear his skin off. He must have heard about the story of the chimera, but instead of looking happy, as Rovenna would have expected, he seemed to want to hide it.


    ¡°The traitors have talked about a chimera that was captured in the castle of Shadowrock, and then released by the Count''s daughter. According to them, the two were at the lake when they arrived together with Eldrin.¡±


    ¡°Is-is that so? It''s... it''s... un-unbelievable...¡±


    ¡°Don''t you have anything to say about it?¡±


    ¡°Well... well... it sounds like a most... most wonderful story. I''ve always wanted to see a chimera.¡±


    ¡°So you didn''t see any chimera when you came to the lake?¡±


    ¡°If-if I had, you''d be the first to-to know... about it. It-it was you who... who gave me the mission... to look for chimeras. How-however, Master Arcanist, I have... have failed in my mission... I have found no chimera. Nothing, nothing. Not even a single creature that resembles it.


    Rovenna frowned. Everything the wizard was telling her was logical, and yet he was hiding something from her.


    ¡°Do you know what happens to wizards who withhold information from their superiors?¡±


    ¡°Well... well, of course I know.¡±


    ¡°Because if I find out that you''re hiding something from me, I''ll drop all my kindness, and I''ll personally stamp the cross seal on your chest.¡±


    The man began to tremble even more.


    ¡°I... I will... keep it in mind...¡±


    Rovenna sighed. It was frustrating to see such a transparent man who posed no challenge to her.


    ¡°You and Korinna Franko.¡±


    The wizard''s eyes widened, and Rovenna knew she had caught him.


    ¡°Korinna? Why?¡±


    ¡°She''s part of the team, isn''t she? I can''t do anything to Fidelia anymore. She doesn''t work for the Council, and she''s already been punished.¡±


    ¡°You... you should only punish me!¡±


    ¡°Ah... And why should I punish you?¡±


    The wizard gulped so suddenly that he choked and started coughing.


    ¡°You became a Leader of your own task force because of me. Otherwise, I would have already...¡±


    The tent fabric flapped and the Count of Shadowrock came rushing in like a gale. He gave Myrius a stern look, which did not go unnoticed by Rovenna, before addressing her.


    ¡°I have come to tell you that I do not need the Order to be reinstated,¡± said the Count.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± asked her with a tired voice.


    He shook out a parchment he was holding, and dropped it on the table.


    ¡°Zoran has come to give me a list of candidates. I guess you already know about it.¡±


    No, Rovenna did not know. Zoran had acted on his own. In such cases, it was up to the Master Arcanist to take charge, but again he had ignored her.


    That was a declaration of war.


    ¡°At the moment there is only one wizard I trust, and that is Leander Kalas,¡± the Count continued.


    Rovenna shook her head.


    ¡°Master Leander will be dismissed. His mistakes have led to this disaster.¡±


    ¡°Remove him from the Council if you wish, but that does not mean he will not continue to work for me.¡±


    ¡°The Conclave will not accept that.¡±


    ¡°The Conclave can stick their orders wherever they want.¡±


    ¡°They will remove your title.¡±


    ¡°So be it, I have men who are loyal to me anyway.¡±


    Rovenna rose from her chair, slamming both hands on the desk.


    ¡°You are the Guardian of the Circle, Protector of Peace! Your actions will lead to war!¡±


    The Count did not lose his cool.


    ¡°It was the wizards who started it. Since the first humans arrived in these lands you have been the protagonists of almost every confrontation. Perhaps it is time to get rid of you.¡±


    ¡°I can have you arrested for treason right now!¡±


    ¡°Then there will be a battle.¡±


    ¡°Your men can do nothing against magic.¡±


    ¡°Try us.¡±


    It was like talking to a wall.


    ¡°Count... you and I never had an honest conversation. We have always been constrained by the presence of others or by the very demands of the positions we both hold. Let me take the first step. I am totally opposed to the marriage of your daughter to the prince. It has always seemed nonsense to me, but I have no say in the matter. That was all His Majesty''s plan in conjunction with the Conclave. I cannot understand what drove them to it, though I suppose you know. If you tell me that your daughter has fled to avoid the wedding, I will do my best to make that a success.¡±


    ¡°My daughter did not run away! She was kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°There are contrary versions.¡±


    ¡°Versions of traitors who will say anything to stop their torture.¡±


    ¡°I also know that before coming to the lake you were away from the castle because of an made-up illness, and that you did not take your daughter with you. I also know about the attack of the Elementals, and that you then went to Serenity Glade. And from the looks of you... Master Myrius, you are also aware of it since you don''t seem at all surprised.¡±


    Myrius reacted with a spasm. As Rovenna had not dismissed him he had stood to the side listening to the whole conversation not knowing what to do next.


    ¡°Fidelia told you everything, didn''t she?¡± Rovenna grimaced as she received no answer. ¡°That child never learns.¡±


    ¡°And what do you intend to... ?¡± the Count began to say through gritted teeth, but she didn''t let him finish.


    ¡°Neither Zoran nor the Conclave know about this. The proof is in the fact that he continues to interrogate the traitors, and has not requested your capture as you well know he could do if he found out about all this.¡±


    ¡°You want to bribe me?¡±


    Rovenna shook her head.


    ¡°I want to make an alliance. Neither of us want Zoran to become Master Arcanist. If that happens, he would be one step away from becoming a candidate for Archmage. My commoner origins prevent me from doing so, but he is a Wildheart. It''s almost guaranteed. I don''t want to imagine what the Council would be like with someone like him in charge. Can you imagine?¡±


    The Count did not answer.


    ¡°My duty is to maintain the balance, and this arranged marriage threatens to break it,¡± Rovenna continued. ¡°Our goals are aligned. If I am removed, you will lose your best ally.¡±


    The Count and Myrius looked at her in silence, but she knew they were hesitating.


    She sat back down, and interlocked the fingers of both hands.


    ¡°So... gentlemen, who would like to begin?¡±

 Chapter 36 - The new mission

    ¡°Well... I''ve been dismissed as Leader of the Order,¡± Leander announced as he stepped into Barthra''s cabin where Fidelia had chosen to stay since they had returned from the lake.


    She was at the table sipping a cup of tea with cookies that old acquaintances of her parents had brought her in a basket as soon as they found out she was "paying a visit". When Leander gave her the news she set the tea aside, and reached for the small keg of mead that Guthran had brought her along with the news of the last few days that he had received from Rovenna.


    Since the Count had asked them to return to the castle, she had been waiting in the hut and bored out of her mind, except when she received those visitors that had included some of the maids and cooks, as well as good old Harald, who made her remember anecdotes from when she was a little girl.


    Apart from that, her other occupations had been fetching food, dusting the hut, and standing still in a corner waiting for one of the Elementals to think of visiting her. But despite all her patience, none had appeared.


    Now that Rovenna and the rest had returned, she couldn''t wait to return to Nemertya and her normal life.


    ¡°I''m sorry,¡± she said to Leander as she poured the drink into two wooden glasses.


    He grabbed his, drank the contents in one gulp, and let out a snort.


    ¡°Never mind... it was too much... Besides, even the servants ended up outsmarting me... Now I''ll be able to get back to my experiments without distractions.¡±


    ¡°Who will become the next Leader?¡±


    ¡°Uncertain. Alaric and Rovenna are currently discussing. It seems that Alaric doesn''t want to reinstate the order.¡±


    ¡°I don''t blame him. What about Zoran?¡±


    ¡°He''s still in the dungeon interrogating the traitors... They keep talking about the chimera and Zoran still doesn''t believe them.¡±


    Fidelia lowered her eyes.


    ¡°I feel quite guilty...¡±


    Leander''s voice hardened.


    ¡°They betrayed the Order and conspired to kidnap Olivia. I don''t feel sorry for them at all.¡±


    Despite that, Fidelia couldn''t help, but feel complicit with Zoran himself, as if she were also in the dungeon administering the torture.


    ¡°I betrayed the Council, too.¡±


    Leander shook his head.


    ¡°That was different.¡±


    ¡°I was manipulated, just as they were also manipulated by Eldrin and whoever was working with him. What they are going through, I went through as well.¡±


    This time it was Leander who lowered his eyes.


    ¡°I spoke without thinking, sorry.¡±


    Fidelia waved a hand. The matter was over. She just had to be patient, and wait for Rovenna to communicate with her, but Fidelia didn''t want to make the mistake of getting her hopes up. Even if Rovenna granted her permission to visit the island, it remained to be seen if the Archmage was indeed an Architect or nothing more than rumors.


    ¡°So...¡± she sighed eager to change the subject as she refilled the cups. ¡°I suppose you''ll be glad, at least, now that Cormac''s back.¡±


    Leander choked on mead, and his cheeks turned red.


    ¡°Don''t tell me you''re embarrassed after all these years,¡± Fidelia scoffed.


    ¡°It''s not something I talk about with everyone...¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, we shouldn''t be friends.¡±


    ¡°Why?"


    ¡°Because you stole my first love from me.¡±


    Leander rolled his eyes.


    ¡°He was not meant for you, also you were a little girl... Are you still in love with him?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± although she had felt uncomfortable when she saw him appear in the lake running towards them with sword in hand ready to take action.


    ¡°And there''s no one who...?¡±


    ¡°No. Especially since I got the seal.¡±


    ¡°If I had known...¡±


    ¡°You couldn''t do anything. I didn''t want you to get involved in that either. You had too much to lose, as for I¡­¡±


    ¡°There are many people here who love you, and got really worried when we heard what happened. I even went to the capital, but no one knew anything about you.¡±


    ¡°I didn''t know that.¡±


    ¡°Eldrin was furious. He said you had become a shameful stain on the reputation of Shadowrock. Alaric gave me permission to leave. But, like everything I set out to do, it was a failure, and I came back empty handed, and disappointed everyone,¡± he took another sip.


    ¡°There was no way you could find me. I wandered around the kingdom for a long time, until I happened to meet Korinna again, and she told me that she had left the Council. That''s how I joined her business... although I don''t know if we can call it that yet.¡±


    ¡°I like her, she''s a very cheerful gal.¡±


    ¡°Yes... now you mention it... I haven''t heard from her and Myrius, where are they?¡±


    ¡°They are back to the castle, but have been busy talking with Rovenna.¡±


    Fidelia began to feel uneasy.


    ¡°Why? Korinna was only accompanying me, and Myrius was coming as a decoy¡­¡±


    ¡°Rovenna found out about the chimera.¡±


    ¡°And you waited all this time to tell me?¡±


    ¡°I knew you''d be upset, but it wouldn''t be good for Zoran to see you right now. He''s very upset.¡±


    ¡°I''m not afraid of Zoran! I just hate to see him!¡±


    ¡°Still, they told me they''d come to see you as soon as they were free, so... let''s wait... I have nothing to do right now... so I''ll stay with you,¡± he said as he poured himself another shot of mead.


    Fidelia knew it was only a matter of time before Rovenna found out about that, but she didn''t see why she had to involve Korinna. The chimera had disappeared without a trace, according to Myrius. What was Rovenna''s intention? To send that nervous wizard in search of the creature?


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    As Leander had said, at sunset Korinna and Myrius arrived at the hut, although Fidelia did not expect them to appear smiling and carrying a small barrel of beer as if they wanted to celebrate something.


    ¡°We''ve been promoted!¡± Korinna exclaimed when Fidelia pointed that out.


    ¡°Congratulations!¡± exclaimed Leander, already drunk after having downed most of the barrel of mead all by himself. ¡°I''ve been dismissed! Cheers!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, a promotion?¡± asked Fidelia. ¡°You don''t work for the Council!¡±


    Korinna''s face showed a guilty look.


    ¡°Rovenna has reinstated me.¡±


    Fidelia banged the table, and got up from her seat.


    ¡°What? What about our business?¡±


    ¡°I''m going to take a break... Before I continue I need to reformulate my calculations.¡±


    ¡°But you hate the Council!¡±


    ¡°I don''t hate it... I mean, I couldn''t stand working there, but it didn''t feel right to resign either... If only I had been allowed to continue my experiments¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly! You''re an inventor!¡±


    ¡°I''m not going to stop being one... it''s just a pause along the way¡­¡±


    ¡°And what the hell has Rovenna asked you to do?¡±


    ¡°Actually... the promotion went to Myrius... I''m just going as a helper.¡±


    ¡°To where?¡± Fidelia asked, grabbing her own head. Where the fuck did Rovenna want to send those two?


    Myrius had purposely stayed out of the conversation, but at the look on Fidelia''s face he was forced to speak up. ¡°Well¡­¡± he said in a timid voice. ¡°I''m not sure if we can call it a promotion¡­ After all, I was already Master Leader of the Chimera Protection Task Force.¡±


    ¡°That was a lie!¡± Fidelia protested without caring about the wizard''s feelings.


    ¡°Well... Now it turns out that it''s true¡­¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Remember when you asked me about the chimera?¡±


    ¡°You told me it was gone,¡± Fidelia gave him a murderous look.


    ¡°Ah... yes... well... that was actually a lie¡­¡±


    ¡°Myrius¡­¡±


    ¡°The truth is that the chimera and Lady Olivia escaped together.¡±


    ¡°Then Eldrin¡­¡±


    ¡°He escaped alone, but that doesn''t mean he won''t try to go after them¡­¡±


    Fidelia turned her head towards Leander.


    ¡°Did you know about this?¡±


    Leander had laid down on the bed, and was slowly shaking his head from side to side.


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± he let out a hiccup. ¡°My friend Alaric told me... because he''s my friend, and friends tell each other everything... Not like Cormac... who is not my friend... and¡­¡±


    ¡°Why didn''t you tell me? I''m your friend!¡±


    ¡°We asked him not to tell you anything,¡± Korinna interceded. ¡°We wanted to tell you in person.¡±


    ¡°Where did the chimera go then?¡±


    ¡°Silas, his name is Silas,¡± said Myrius more confidently. ¡°And at this moment he must be traveling across the sea with the young lady towards the Isle of Demons.¡±


    That appeased Fidelia.


    ¡°Perfect, I''ll go with you once Rovenna¡­¡±


    ¡°We are not going to follow them,¡± Miryus interrupted her.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If we follow them,¡± Korinna explained. ¡°We could draw attention to them. There are spies all over the kingdom. Neither Rovenna nor the count want to take a risk.¡±


    ¡°Besides, it wouldn''t make sense,¡± Myrius added. ¡°Let''s suppose we find Silas. Then what?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea, you''re the expert,¡± said Fidelia. ¡°What''s the alternative then? Where is Rovenna sending you?¡±


    Myrius and Korinna exchanged glances before answering.


    ¡°To the mountains,¡± they said at the same time.


    Suddenly, everyone had gone crazy. She couldn''t believe any of that. It was unthinkable. They probably were just mocking her.


    But Myrius kept talking about Sila''s story, which he had learned about from the Count¡¯s own words.


    ¡°There is no other alternative,¡± he explained. ¡°It is the only place where we''re likely to find at least one pack. The same one that abandoned Silas.¡±


    Fidelia felt some pressure in her chest. He really was serious.


    ¡°Do you have any idea how extensive that mountain range is?¡± asked Fidelia.


    ¡°No one knows¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± she snapped. ¡°Because no human has ever dared to cross it!¡± Those who tried barely survived, and returned after a few days. Ask the hunters around here!¡±


    ¡°We''ll be the first!¡± exclaimed Korinna, raising her glass of beer. ¡°We are wizards after all!¡±


    ¡°You, really! Even if you are, human magic has its limits! You are not bloody elves!¡± Fidelia felt a tremendous urge to grab her by the scruff of the neck, and drag her all the way to Nemertya. ¡°Are you going to abandon all your projects just to chase chimeras in the mountains?¡±


    ¡°I''ve needed a break for a long time.¡±


    ¡°This isn''t a break!¡±


    ¡°No! It''s an adventure! Something that could change history!¡±


    ¡°It''s suicide! First of all finding the chimeras would be like finding a needle in a haystack. But let''s pretend you are successful. What are you supposed to do? I don''t think the chimeras need or want our help.¡±


    ¡°We are emissaries,¡± said Myrius proudly. ¡°Rovenna is sending us as representatives of the Council to demonstrate our good faith and establish a bond of trust. The chimeras have lived in isolation for too long. It is time they know that not all humans are a threat.¡±


    ¡°She also wants to prevent a confrontation,¡± Korinna added.


    ¡°Now she''s afraid that chimeras will attack us?¡± Fidelia scoffed. ¡°Are you sure she''s not fooling you again?¡±


    ¡°It''s a preventive measure... We don''t know what they''ve been doing in this last century¡­¡±


    ¡°And she''s sending you two alone! It''s more like a punishment!¡±


    ¡°Actually no... she said we''ll be part of a larger group¡­¡±


    ¡°You can''t survive in the mountains! Just a few days ago you were trembling with fear at the thought of fighting other wizards!¡±


    ¡°Fidelia!¡± Korinna looked at her defiantly. ¡°You are my dear best friend, but don''t tell me what I can or can''t do. I''m sorry you feel left out, because we won''t be able to continue with our business for some time, but this is something I want to do now. We will go to the mountains, end of discussion.¡±


    ¡°This does not end here!¡± Fidelia walked through the door of the hut, and closed it hard behind her.


    As she started walking towards the castle, she heard Myrius and Korinna following her.


    ¡°What are you trying to do? You can''t do magic!¡± Korinna shouted at her.


    ¡°I don''t care! There are many other ways to kill a person! And stop following me! I''m furious with both of you! You''re insane! I''ll go back to Nemertya, sail to the islands, and forget about you ever existed!


    A few minutes later Fidelia crossed the castle''s great iron gate alone, ignoring all those who looked at her with curiosity as she advanced across the parade ground with such determination.


    ¡°Fidelia!¡±


    That was Cormac who was just there giving instructions to the soldiers. His tall, stocky figure stood in front of her. When she looked up, she saw that his red hair, dotted with some gray, had taken on a golden hue under the last beams of sunlight streaming over the castle walls. His big, shiny smile was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.


    Stupid Leander didn''t deserve him.


    ¡°Cormac¡­¡± she sighed, but to her regret she couldn''t stay and chat. ¡°Where is the Master Arcanist?¡±


    He told her that Rovenna was alone in the quarters that usually were assigned to the Master Leader of the Order. Fidelia refused to be escorted as she knew the castle like the back of her hand since she was a child, even the passages that were later blocked at the Count''s request.


    ¡°Rovenna!¡± Fidelia shouted as she kicked the door.


    Rovenna was unfazed, and continued to browse through the scrolls she was reading from behind her desk.


    ¡°Are we under attack?¡± she asked in a calm voice as if she had been waiting all this time for her visit.


    ¡°You know why I''m here! I knew you wouldn''t keep your word! I knew it!¡± Fidelia was ready to jump on Rovenna, but stopped in her tracks when the old woman held out a rolled-up parchment.


    ¡°Here it is.¡±


    ¡°What''s this?¡± Fidelia asked as she began to read it.


    ¡°A permission signed by me for you to appear on my behalf before the Archmage of the Isle. There is also a sealed letter,¡± she handed Fidelia another parchment, ¡°in which I ask him, as a favor, if it were in his hands, to remove your cross seal.¡±


    Fidelia was speechless.


    ¡°You''re welcome,¡± said Rovenna. ¡°You can leave tomorrow if you wish. Your services are no longer required here. Besides, your unfounded suspicions already irritate me. I have always kept my word.¡±


    ¡°But... the mission¡­¡±


    Rovenna shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°Ah, well, that''s none of your business. You just had to find out what was going on with the Elementals. Well, you''ve done it, and now you''re free.¡±


    ¡°But Myrius and Korina¡­¡±


    ¡°They''ll be fine. They''ve both proven to be very competent. Who knew the Chimera Protection Task Force would turn out to be one of my better ideas.¡±


    ¡°We already know of a chimera heading to the island. Why the hell are you sending them to the mountains?¡±


    ¡°A young chimera that can barely handle his power, as the sirenians have told me, is no urgency for me at this time. But if there is one chimera, there may be more, and those are in the mountains.¡±


    ¡°It is a suicidal plan!¡±


    ¡°They will be accompanied by people I trust. Besides, the last time we faced chimeras we almost exterminated them. We have spells to defend ourselves... although this is a peace mission. I do not intend for them to fight, unless, of course, they are attacked.¡±


    ¡°Myrius is part of the Council, but Korinna¡­¡±


    ¡°She has volunteered. Talk to her and convince her not to go.¡±


    ¡°I''ve already tried!¡±


    ¡°Then that is all.¡±


    Fidelia kept looking at her with murderous eyes, but the Master Arcanist didn''t even blink.


    ¡°You knew¡­¡±


    ¡°Knew what?¡±, asked Rovenna in a tired tone.


    ¡°You knew I couldn''t go to the island knowing that they would go into the mountains!¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that I can manipulate you so easily? Do you really hold yourself in such little esteem?¡± Rovenna shaked her head. ¡°No, that''s not it. The truth is that you are too arrogant for believing that your friends, who, unlike you, can use magic, won''t survive without you.¡±


    ¡°That''s not the point! How could I go just like that if I know they will face a dangerous situation?¡±


    ¡°I don''t understand your anger. You got what you wanted. No one is holding you back. It''s your decision.¡±


    ¡°Of course it''s my decision, you cheating bastard! But you''re forcing me to choose!¡±


    ¡°It''s not my fault you profess this ridiculous sense of loyalty to your friends. Act like the adult you are, and own your choices.¡±


    ¡°I hate you, you damn woman!¡±


    The last thing Fidelia heard as she left the room slamming on the door was Rovenna''s farewell.


    ¡°Have a safe journey. Don''t let a chimera eat you.¡±

 Chapter 37 - The changes in the castle

    ¡°Sir, the servants have asked me to...¡±


    ¡°Cormac!¡±


    ¡°... to come to see you...¡±


    The captain of the Shadowrock guard stood stunned on the threshold of the cellar door, after being surprised by such unusual scene.


    On the floor, his face glistening with sweat and his eyes reddened, was his own Lord lying next to a growing red puddle of wine that was pouring steadily from a barrel.


    ¡°Just in time!¡± the count raised a goblet with his hand from which even more drink was splashed. ¡°The servants... wouldn''t serve me... any more wine, so I had to come... and get it myself. Help me... will you?¡±


    ¡°My Lord...¡±


    ¡°My Lord...¡± scoffed Alaric. ¡°Why... do you always... call me that? We''ve known... each other... since we were born... My lord this... my lord that... Call me Alaric... simple... like Leander does...¡±


    Cormac sighed. Actually the servants had been looking for Leander but, not finding him, had gone to warn the captain.


    He looked for the barrel stopper, and then walked over to the count with the intention of lifting His Lordship off the floor.


    ¡°I will take you to your chamber.¡±


    The count stepped back.


    ¡°I''m fine here...¡±


    ¡°You can''t stay here drinking all night.¡±


    ¡°I can do... as I please... I''m the Lord... of the castle... Anyway... there''s no danger of my daughter... seeing me... in this... miserable state,¡± he drank from the cup to the bottom.


    Cormac had already figured out what the reason for the lack of judgment was, and he couldn''t blame his Lord. The last two months had been difficult for everyone and this was the first night they could relax a little. He had even ordered a large dinner for his exhausted soldiers and told them to take a couple of days off.


    However, many of the castle''s inhabitants were concerned about the uncertain whereabouts of Lady Olivia. Only those closest to the Count, including Cormac himself, knew the truth of what had happened.


    ¡°You are in no position to refuse,¡± insisted the captain.


    ¡°Am I not your Lord? You cannot... contradict me.¡±


    Let the Nymph grant him patience.


    ¡°If you get up by your own means, I will start calling you by your name...¡±


    The Count accepted the wager, but it took him a while to fulfill it. First he rolled on the floor until he was face down. He pulled himself off the ground with his arms until he was on his knees. Then, holding on to one of the barrels, he managed to stand up even though his legs were shaking.


    ¡°Now try walking,¡± said Cormac.


    ¡°That... wasn''t part... of the deal...¡±


    ¡°I said by your own means, but you''re still holding on to the barrel.¡±


    The Count let go of the barrel, and raised both hands to prove him wrong, but the movement was so abrupt that his body tipped sideways and he would have hit the floor had it not been for the captain who grabbed him just in time.


    With a hand under the Count''s shoulders, Cormac dragged him out of the cellar without any difficulty. Outside were waiting some servants who had not dared to disobey their master. They offered to help, but Cormac reassured them that they could return to their duties.


    It took a while to reach the count''s quarters. Alaric let himself be carried without putting up any resistance, although he was not capable of using his feet to help Cormac either. After opening the door the captain approached the bed, and tossed His Lordship on it without worrying much about his position


    ¡°Is this... your way... of treating... your lord? asked the count with his lips pressed to the blanket and his body stiff as a statue.


    Cormac''s face broke into a smile that the Count could not properly see.


    ¡°I miscalculated.¡±


    ¡°I see... that...¡± with much effort the Count rolled over the bed to lie on his back and Cormac had to keep him from falling on the floor again. Grabbing him by the feet he placed him in the center to prevent any more falls.


    The captain went to a basin of water that the servants had left behind. He dampened a cloth and handed it to the Count who began to wipe his face with it. A sigh of relief escaped his lips.


    Cormac dragged a chair over to the bed and sat down, thinking that it would be best to wait for the Count to fall asleep, fearing that he might slip back into the cellar. Though in that state, he very much doubted he would make it.


    They were silent for a while. He went over in his head the list of pending tasks for the next day, while the Count was lost in thought with his glassy gaze pointing at the ceiling of the bed.


    ¡°What have I done, Cormac?¡± the Count covered his eyes with one hand.


    That was such a general question that it might well have referred to anything, though it was most likely about Lady Olivia.


    ¡°My Lord?¡±


    ¡°That''s enough with "my lord"! Dammit!¡±


    Cormac gave up. The Count was drunk anyway, and perhaps he wouldn''t remember anything later.


    ¡°Very well... Alaric,¡± Cormac shifted uneasily in his seat. That didn''t sound right at all.


    ¡°You''re right, it sounded strange,¡± said the Count as if he was reading his thoughts. ¡°What was I saying?¡±


    ¡°Something you had done.¡±


    The Count let out a groan.


    ¡°What have I done!¡± he lamented. ¡°I let her go alone!¡±


    ¡°I don''t doubt that...¡±


    ¡°Alone! Alone!¡± Alaric let out a bitter laugh. ¡°I never let her go alone, not even to the forest or the village, and now I even let her cross the kingdom on her own! All the way to the Isle of Demons! Alone! What''s wrong with me?¡±


    Both Cormac and Leander had been surprised by that impulsive decision but the captain guessed that guilt had something to do with it. The Count had kept his daughter isolated for so many years that perhaps he thought it was a way to make it up to her.


    Cormac felt grateful that he had no children.


    ¡°Didn''t you say she left with the chimera?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It''s the same thing! I don''t know that creature at all! What if he hurts her? I was insane when I made that decision! It was too much all at once!¡±


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    According to Leander, he didn''t have much power, and your daughter can defend herself with magic.


    ¡°Magic, yes... though she is only an Initiate. I had my doubts about her learning, but maybe it was for the best... although I don''t know what Eldrin must have done with her.... Bastard... How about with the sword?¡±


    Cormac stiffened in his seat. He would have liked to answer that the girl was as skilled as her father, but the truth was that she was still a long way off. In a close combat she wouldn''t stand a chance. As for the bow, her aim was pretty good, as long as she didn''t get nervous, which happened all too often...


    He didn''t want to lie to his Lord, but if he told him the truth his master would worry even more.


    ¡°She''ll know how to handle herself. She is an intelligent young woman. The proof is that she''s managed all this time without us.¡±


    ¡°Yes... when I let her go she didn''t put up any buts... as if she wanted to get away from me as soon as possible... Yaritza and Numi were also mad with me.¡±


    ¡°There are always disagreements between parents and children. Yours can be fixed.¡±


    ¡°Seventeen years old! She''s a child!¡±


    ¡°For her age, she''s very mature. Trust her judgment.¡±


    ¡°The same judgment that caused her to run off with a chimera and sneak off into the forest where she would be found by that damned elf?¡±


    Nothing Cormac said would appease him. What was done was done. There was no use lamenting but to think about the next steps.


    But the Count wasn''t finished.


    ¡°I don''t even know where she is now!¡± he continued lamenting, ¡°What if she ends up drowning in the gulf? I should leave in this instant...¡±


    Seeing that the Count was trying to get up, Cormac stretched out a hand, and forced him to remain still.


    ¡°First, you can''t do anything as you are now. Second, you said yourself that if we went after her it would look suspicious. It''s better if the royal family continues to think she was kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°I''ll confront the royal family!¡±


    ¡°And our soldiers would be overjoyed, but we have no wizards... except Leander...¡±


    ¡°We have the weapons created from the arcantio!¡±


    ¡°Weapons that have not yet been completed, let alone tested by our own soldiers. We have no use for a magical artifact that an ordinary human cannot use.¡±


    ¡°You sound just like Rovenna Astra...¡±


    ¡°I take that as a compliment.¡±


    ¡°And just as arrogant.¡±


    ¡°Coming from you, I find that remark very amusing,¡± Cormac took the opportunity to ask him what she had told him about the new wizards who would join the Order.


    ¡°She said that she herself would select the candidates from among those who were most loyal to her. That doesn''t reassure me completely, but at least it means that the new wizards will not attempt anything in Eldrin''s name...¡±


    ¡°But in Rovenna''s name...¡±


    ¡°I prefer her to Zoran.¡±


    ¡°True. The man is disgusting.¡±


    ¡°And for now our goals are aligned... Later we will see. By then we will have the weapons.¡±


    Hard work awaited them. Yet another reason to rest.


    He was about to say that to the Count when suddenly someone knocked on the door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± asked Alaric.


    ¡°It''s me!¡±


    Cormac furrowed his eyebrows at the sound of Leander''s muffled voice. There was something odd about it. He didn''t sound like himself.


    ¡°Come in!¡± the Count shouted.


    The heavy door opened slowly as if the wizard didn''t have enough strength to push it open. He shuffled in, swaying his body from side to side. His face was as red as his robe.


    Oh, no, another one, Cormac thought.


    ¡°The servants said... you were looking for me?¡± said Leander to the Count.


    ¡°Cormac already took care of it...¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± said Leander, squeezing his eyelids together while he looked at Cormac as if he had just noticed him. ¡°And what are you doing here?¡±


    Cormac didn''t bother to explain.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± he asked the wizard.


    ¡°I''ve been removed.¡±


    ¡°I know... but was it necessary to...¡±


    ¡°I was waiting... for you to comfort me, but you were... so busy... with your soldiers... and now... with the Count in his chambers...¡±


    The count raised both arms as if reaching for something from the ceiling.


    ¡°He didn''t do anything to me. I swear. I would never betray my best friend... I mean Leander... not you, Cormac.¡±


    Cormac tried to silence Leander.


    ¡°Don''t you think you''re out of place?¡±


    ¡°As usual!¡± Leander threw himself into a chair. ¡°Always duty first... We were separated... for I don''t know how many days... I was locked in a dungeon... and you weren''t even able to...¡±


    ¡°Can we leave this conversation for later?¡±


    ¡°Later! Always later!¡±


    ¡°What''s the matter, Cormac?¡± Alaric complained. ¡°I know very well what''s going on between you two... By the Nymph! The whole castle knows it!¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t mean... my Lord... it doesn''t suit...¡± Cormac struggled with what to say next.


    From there, Leander and Cormac continued to talk to each other and make jokes at his expense. Annoyed at first, Cormac eventually gave in. If that would get the Count to stop worrying about his daughter, then he had no problem becoming their target. He stayed with those two drunks until they were both asleep and snoring at the top of their lungs. He went back to his quarters to rest, he had done his part.


    He also missed Lady Olivia, he was worried, but it was no use imagining all the worst possible scenarios, as he felt tempted to do at times. Just in case, he would go to the temple for a while to pray, something he hadn''t done in a while.


    The next few weeks were busy ones. Rovenna Astra, as well as Zoran and the Control Division, stayed a few more days and finally left one morning along with all the traitor wizards who would have to walk in chains to Nemertya as a prelude to a much worse punishment awaiting them at their destination. There was even talk of the death penalty. It was expected that the other nobles, now fearful of their own Orders, would demand a punishment that would make the other wizards think twice before revolting against them.


    As the group of traitors shuffled through the great castle gate under the heavy chains, some servants came up to spit on them and even throw food scraps. For Cormac that was a very pityful sight. He knew all the wizards of the Order. With them he had shared the responsibility of protecting the castle and had formed several friendships, as well as Leander. who must have felt worse.


    The wizard had secluded himself in the south tower requesting that no one disturb him and that his food be left by the door. Cormac had tried to reason with him but the wizard never allowed him to enter. The only ones allowed in were the Count, Myrius, Korinna and Fidelia, with whom he seemed to be working with the arcantio. That bothered Cormac. As the captain of the guard he should have the right to say something about the matter. But he decided not to force the issue.


    Rovenna Astra had told the Count that she would be receiving the new wizards in the next few weeks. She would have liked to be present, but could no longer stay away from the capital. Cormac supposed she didn''t want to lose sight of Zoran either.


    Among the latest news was one that seemed insane to him. A group of wizards and soldiers were expected to go into the Roaring Mountains to find the chimeras. Cormac was in charge of selecting some of his own soldiers. What a waste of good men!


    When he learned that Fidelia would be taking part in that impossible mission, Cormac dared to protest although the woman herself shut him up.


    ¡°Cormac! No matter how you look at it, or what Leander told you, I''m not a child!¡±


    The captain didn''t understand anything. From what he had been told, she had been the first one to complain to the Master Arcanist. Why was she suddenly so angry with him who had nothing to do with it? And what did Leander have to do with it?


    Wizards were so exhausting...


    As Rovenna had promised them, the new wizards who had been especially chosen to restore the Order arrived at Shadowrock, along with the newly assigned Leader. In the courtyard were all the soldiers assembled, besides a few curious servants. Alaric, Leander and Cormac, dressed formally for the occasion, were waiting in the center.


    Seeing Leander after all that time, the captain felt calmed. The wizard looked haggard but not ill. That he had come out to greet the new Order was a good sign.


    ¡°Nice to see you,¡± he whispered to the wizard.


    ¡°Is that kind of comment appropriate just now?¡± Leander scoffed.


    ¡°I was worried.¡±


    ¡°For your information, I was not all this time lamenting but doing my duty, as you spend all this time doing.¡±


    ¡°I see that.¡±


    ¡°I''ve made incredible progress with the arcantio, and all by myself, no help, no distractions.¡±


    ¡°So I''m one of your distractions?¡±


    Leander pursed his lips.


    ¡°Yes, perhaps it would be time to dismiss you and concentrate only on my work.¡±


    ¡°Tonight will be the welcoming dinner. Since you are no longer Leader of the Order, why don''t you show me what you''ve been doing with the arcantio?¡±


    ¡°In your place or mine?¡± Leander asked, and Cormac barely had time to answer when the procession of carriages and horses finished crossing the great gate and stopped near them.


    Not all were Masters. There were several Initiates, as well as Acolytes. Cormac began to study the face of each one. The first to step forward was a fairly young Master with tan skin, short dark hair and a serene gaze. Actually, to Cormac''s surprise, they were all young, being the new Leader perhaps the oldest of them all.


    ¡°Your Excellency,¡± the young Leader bowed his head in front of the Count and held out a sealed parchment. ¡°My name is Theo Malis. I have been appointed Leader of the Order of Shadowrock by Master Arcanist Rovenna Astra. It is a great honor for us all to have been chosen to serve the Guardian of the Circle. We hope to rise to the challenges ahead of us.¡±


    Alaric did his best to give a cordial welcome to the new wizards, but Cormac could tell how much effort he was making to dissemble in front of them. All this time they had waited in vain for some news about what had happened with Olivia. That first visit to the cellar had not been the last and it was always Cormac who had to go down to look for him. He had given serious thought to sealing the cellar entrance and keeping the key himself. The captain had better things to do than chase after drunks.


    However, once Theo Malis finished with the introductions, he approached the Count to whisper something to him, loud enough for Cormac to hear.


    ¡°Rovenna also asks me to pass along this unofficial message. It is about your daughter.¡±

 Chapter 38 - The Walking Dreamers

    Two days had passed since Olivia had made the decision for both of them to continue their journey with The Walking Dreamers.


    In that time the routine had boiled down to getting up early to make the most of the sunlight, resting every so often to stretch their legs and then stopping before sunset to set up camp and eat dinner.


    Silas and Olivia traveled inside the wagon driven by Gorwan, who sat next to Deema, while in the back the two new members were seated with their children Celestia, Elyssa and the distrustful Alder who had kept quiet all the time, just like Silas, although, in his case, it was because he had no interest in participating in the cheerful conversation.


    In contrast, Olivia''s situation was very different. She had become friends with the two sisters since that first lunch, and they hadn''t stopped gossiping since.


    It was hell.


    There wasn''t a topic they didn''t touch on, from all the plays in which the three siblings, even as children, had participated, novels that Olivia had read, each one worse than the last, in Silas'' opinion, dresses, fabrics, music, celebrations and festivities to which the actors had been invited to participate with their show, as well as anecdotes of the roads and towns they visited, which usually included some kind of unrequited suitor.


    ¡°Maybe we''ll be lucky and there will be a party in the village as sometimes happens after the performance,¡± said Elyssa at one point, full of enthusiasm.


    ¡°Do you remember that time, Elyssa, when that baker ended up offering to marry you?¡± Celestia asked laughing. ¡°I''ll never forget your face!¡±


    ¡°Don''t remind me!¡± exclaimed Elyssa, covering her face with her hands. ¡°I''ve never run so fast in my life.¡±


    ¡°Alder almost killed him with his wooden sword!¡±


    ¡°And rightly so!¡± replied Alder, always with crossed arms and an angry look. ¡°Any man who troubles my sisters deserves death,¡± then he looked at Silas. ¡°And if it happened that he wanted to elope with one of them, I would chase him to the end of the world.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Alder, leave him alone, you are such a pain,¡± Celestia rolled her eyes. ¡°You may find my brother very unpleasant, but he''s a good person. If it wasn''t because you''re engaged to Silas, I''d make you marry him, Olivia.¡±


    ¡°Ah... thank you...¡± laughed Olivia looking at Silas uncomfortably, but he did nothing but sigh in boredom.


    ¡°He''s very overprotective,¡± said Elyssa pinching one of Alder''s cheeks, and he squealed for her to leave him alone.


    ¡°I don''t have any siblings,¡± said Olivia sounding a little wistful. ¡°Although... I do have a half-sister who I don''t know very well...¡±


    ¡°You see, Alder?¡± complained Celestia. ¡°Don''t make our friend sad. It''s been a long time since we could travel with someone our age.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Silas?¡± asked Elissa. ¡°I''d like to hear you say something. Do you like theater?¡±


    Silas didn''t feel like pretending to understand any of it.


    ¡°I''ve only seen one play in my whole life... so I don''t know,¡± he answered.


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    ¡°The Legend of Terrarkana.¡±


    ¡°Ah... but everyone knows that one! Now that you''re with us, we''ll show you everything we can do!¡±


    From then on, the two girls continued to describe everything that their repertoire included. Not only plays but also singing, dancing, puppetry, shadow theater, acrobatics and juggling. Silas had a hard time understanding what everything was about so Olivia had to explain it to him later when they were alone. Luckily for him, the sisters were so enthusiastic that they didn''t notice his ignorance, although Alder kept looking at him, perhaps attentive to any of his movements and words.


    He didn''t blame him. He would have acted that way too if that was his family. In fact, he was the one he most resembled in the group. The rest were almost all like Olivia, talkative and giggly as if they had taken some sort of potion that made them feel happy all the time. In addition to chatting, they also spent their time singing, while the wagons were moving, while they were setting up camp, and even after dinner, before they all retired for the night. It was unbearable.


    But not for Olivia, who seemed to move like a fish in water and had taken almost no time at all to learn the songs they had taught her. She hadn''t seemed this comfortable even when they had joined the sirenians'' party.


    Meanwhile, Silas and Alder were the two sullen ones of the group and it wasn''t long before someone noticed their funny resemblance, even though they didn''t seem to get along at all. There even came a time when the two agreed to go chop wood for the fire on their own to get away from the raucous group.


    Silas felt grateful to have those little chores to distract him from lamenting his failed journey across the gulf. He still didn''t understand what he had done wrong. He had been so fortunate to be granted a new form, and not only had he lost that ability, but now he couldn''t even transform into any other animal, as if all his past efforts were worth nothing.


    He had been careful, just as the sirenians had told him, but apparently not enough.


    Or perhaps the Sirenians had tricked him, knowing that he would not last long in that orca form and that it would be a matter of time before he would end up drowning, and thus end the problem of the chimera that had escaped from the mountains. Although none of them had counted on Olivia traveling with him thanks to Numi''s power.


    Still, he didn''t dislike the actors, they were just loud, and, despite that, it had been a peaceful trip. Olivia hadn''t gone through another episode either, or at least she wasn''t acting weirder than usual by Silas''s standards. With humans one never knew.


    In any case, Silas did not understand why she had to invent such an implausible story that unexpectedly, at least for him, the whole group had bought into so innocently, except perhaps for Alder who seemed to be the only intelligent one, and Silas respected him all the more for that.


    Well of course it was obvious that they were no couple. That could be noticed from far away, but he wasn''t going to lose his dignity by pretending such stupidity. Olivia was the guilty one, let her take it upon herself to keep lying to the rest.


    He felt so frustrated that whatever he was asked to do, he did it willingly.


    ¡°You''re such a sweetheart, Silas,¡± Deema would tell him, shaking his hair, as did Gorwan every time the chimera offered to do the smallest task such as fetching the firewood, helping set up the tents, stirring the stew spoon, or carrying the luggage back to the wagons.


    However, there was something that kept him from forgetting his problems and that was his own body, to which he had not yet adapted. The first time he had stood up on two legs he had struggled a lot and stumbled all the time. The fingers of his hands trembled when he carried out small actions that required precision, no matter how simple they seemed. More than a few times he had felt a spasm in his hands that had caused him to drop the axe or hit himself with the hammer while driving a stake into the ground to set up the tent.


    His clothes also bothered him. His entire body itched, and he kept scratching himself until he left marks. He would have liked to run to a place behind trees or rocks to get rid of it at least for a while, but if someone discovered him, he knew they would not see him as a normal human.


    So far, thanks to the talisman, he had achieved something that seemed impossible, although it also bothered him how easy it was to be mistaken for one of those beings, as if there was no difference between them and the chimeras.


    When one of those little accidents happened, Gorwan and Deema, thinking that his lack of coordination was due to the accident he had suffered in the water, asked him not to try so hard, that he would soon recover. It hadn''t been that long yet.


    It hadn''t been that long, it was true, but Silas could feel the nerves starting to get the better of him. The last time he had been in that first form he had been nothing more than a cub unable to transform, while his brothers ran around him turned into foxes, wolves, goats, bears, deer, even eagles, and always left him behind. The pathetic nameless one.


    Nameless, nameless, that shall be your name, nameless. It was his brothers'' favorite song, very different from the songs the actors sang during that trip.


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    The first time he had succeeded in becoming a mouse, he had felt euphoric, but his joy was soon dampened by the indifferent reaction of his family, for whom it was still not enough. They waited impatiently for him to adopt the next form, which he did, although it took several lunar cycles.


    That did not satisfy the pack either. It was very difficult for him to maintain his fox form at the beginning, and his brothers had to carry him so as not to leave him behind.


    Until one day his father, angered, did the unthinkable to force him to take a new form and his failure caused the pack to finally decide to abandon him.


    Spending so much time with the humans made him feel confused, but Silas should not forget that he had been pushed out of the mountains, and that there was a lot of work left for him to do before returning and taking revenge on those who had treated him like the very scum.


    If he took as true what the sirenians had told him, he had to find the cause of the knot he didn''t know he had until then. At the moment, the only one around who could tell him anything about the Ethereal Codes was Olivia herself, but when he mentioned the matter to her she shook her head in sadness.


    ¡°Assuming I could reveal your Code, I would not be able to read most of the symbols. You would need a Master, a very advanced one, like Eldrin. It takes many years, even decades to be proficient in reading the Codes. Not all Masters become experts... You''ll have to wait until you get to the island, I''m sorry.¡±


    ¡°What if you call one of your witch friends?¡± Silas insisted.


    She was annoyed.


    ¡°Look, Silas, first of all, they are not my friends, I have no idea who they are,¡± she started walking in circles while grabbing her hair. ¡°I also don''t know what exactly a witch is since, as much as I''ve racked my brains, I don''t remember ever reading anything about them. Besides... I''ve already told you about how risky it can be... They''re not all the same. You could die!¡±


    ¡°I don''t think it''s that big of a deal. I''m willing to take the risk. I''d rather die than...¡±


    ¡°I know, I know...¡± Olivia continued speaking, imitating Silas'' voice and moving her arms in the same way she had seen the actors do. ¡°Because, I, noble chimera, prefer to face the clutches of death... rather than continue living in this grotesque form...¡±


    ¡°I don''t sound like that.¡±


    ¡°Quite accurate I would say.¡±


    ¡°Although I agree it''s a grotesque way,¡± he said, looking at his thin, elongated, worm-like fingers. ¡°Did you see how they laugh?¡±


    ¡°No one laughs at you, except when you do silly things...¡±


    ¡°Your two new friends make fun of me no matter what I do.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    Silas then went on to describe to her the strange attitude of Celestia and Elyssa, who every time they passed near him could not contain their laughter. The chimera wondered what horrendous thing must have been on his face for them to lose their composure so abruptly. Not that he cared. He knew very well that that first form was hideous, but it wouldn''t stay that way for long. He had been there before. He would regain his power.


    At the end of his explanation, Olivia was looking at him with an annoyed face.


    ¡°Silas... they''re not laughing at you...¡±


    ¡°Of course they are! Don''t defend them! If I''m so ugly, they could at least be nice and fake it a little!¡±


    Those words caused Olivia to experience an abrupt fit of laughter that sent her to the floor.


    ¡°You too!¡± complained Silas.


    It took several minutes for the girl to recover. Meanwhile, the sun was almost disappearing over the horizon. The next day they were supposed to reach the town. Silas should take the opportunity to try to change form since it would be impossible for him to do so due to the large number of humans that would be there. Perhaps many more than in Shadowrock Castle or even in the Lake Village.


    ¡°At least come with me, and keep watch while I try to transform.¡±


    They walked further away from the camp through a small but thick grove of trees. When they reached the end of it, from where neither tents nor wagons could be seen anymore, Silas handed the talisman to Olivia.


    ¡°My eyes?¡± he asked Olivia.


    She jumped as if the question had taken her by surprise.


    ¡°What''s wrong with them?¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid? I''m asking if they''re back to normal.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah... they''re golden again.¡±


    ¡°Good...¡± Silas then started to undress.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± exclaimed Olivia in horror, turning away so as not to look at him.


    ¡°It''s easier without clothes,¡± Silas sighed in relief as he hurriedly pulled off the pants that were bothering him so much and felt the fresh air again soothing his irritated skin.


    ¡°You can''t do that in front of me without warning me first!¡±


    ¡°It''s just skin.¡±


    ¡°It''s a lot more than just skin! I can''t believe you don''t realize that!¡±


    ¡°I''m not human, don''t forget that. Your stupid rules don''t matter to me.¡±


    ¡°You should care if you don''t want to get caught!¡±


    ¡°See to it then that no one else comes.¡±


    Olivia sighed in irritation.


    ¡°Fine, but hurry up. You''ll make yourself sick.¡±


    ¡°Of course I won''t. I have more stamina than you.¡±


    ¡°I liked you better when you were a dog or a fox.¡±


    ¡°I agree. So it''ll be better for both of us if I get it right away. Do not distract me.¡±


    As Olivia muttered some insult, Silas began to concentrate.He closed his eyes, took several deep breaths, and mentally ran through every part of his body. With each exhalation he tried to imagine his energy coursing through every inch of his skin. He wiggled his fingers slightly and focused on the sensation of his bare feet being caressed by the grasses waving in the breeze.


    He bent his body forward until he was lying on the grass. He stayed in that position trying to remember what it felt like to move through the thicket like a mouse, to feel small, invisible, a little ball of fur.


    In that form, his family had made fun of him, and he had felt ashamed too. However, he would have given anything to be a mouse again.


    All he could hear now was his own heartbeat thundering in his ears. A current of heat ran down his back. He felt a tingling in his hands and feet. There it was. He could feel it. He was shrinking, the grasses were getting taller and taller, his skin was changing...


    However, after several minutes, he opened his eyes and his hands were still the same. His whole body remained also the same. In desperation, he closed his eyes tightly and dug his nails into the soil, trying once more, forcing his mind to remember the quickness and smallness of a mouse.


    Suddenly, he let out an exhalation that sounded like the growl of a wounded beast. He had been holding his breath without realizing it.


    ¡°Silas... are you all right?¡± Olivia asked.


    When Silas turned his head he saw that she had approached him, covering her eyes with one hand.


    Beads of cold sweat were trickling down his forehead. He felt exhausted as if all that time he had been trying to cross an invisible, impenetrable barrier. His mind was nothing but a bundle of helplessness and disappointment. A salty taste came to his lips. The drops furrowing her face had turned to tears.


    Tears. The last time he had cried like that he was but a child. He didn''t want to answer Olivia for fear of losing control. His throat hurt from holding back as if he were about to drown. Now all he could feel was the weight of his own body, the stiffness of his muscles, and the reality of that cursed body.


    He lay on the grass, defeated.


    ¡°Perhaps...¡± Olivia began to say, ¡°the orca form consumed a lot of energy, and you need more time... No one loses their powers just like that... I have never read...¡±


    ¡°I don''t care what your damn books say!¡±


    He saw the talisman fall next to his face.


    ¡°You need to get dressed now. It''s getting dark, and they''ll be here any minute...¡±


    That said, a voice was heard approaching through the trees.


    ¡°Ah, Gorwan! Here they are!¡± it was Deema, who again found them in a strange situation. ¡°I knew they had not escaped... they were just...¡±


    Hearing Deema''s voice, Silas reached to put on the talisman, and then jumped up to start slipping on his pants, but the effort had left him tired and his muscles felt heavy. He ended up falling to the floor as he tried to get dressed.


    From the floor, he watched as Olivia, still with her back to him, came face to face with the woman''s dumbfounded gaze.


    ¡°What were they doing?¡± asked Gorwan who approached with a torch behind his wife.


    ¡°Gorwan...¡± Deema''s attitude took on a determined tone. ¡°We need to have a conversation.¡±


    ¡°A conversation?¡±


    ¡°The conversation.¡±


    ¡°You mean...?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that same conversation we''ve already had three times with our own children.¡±


    Gorwan scratched his graying head.


    ¡°I see... that conversation... Now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, now, it is most urgent. We''re just in time. Silas finish getting dressed first...¡±


    ¡°What conversation?¡± Olivia asked.


    Silas also had the same question on his mind.


    Deema''s voice softened.


    ¡°You know, dear, the conversation.¡±


    ¡°What conversation?¡± at least she sounded as confused as Silas felt listening to that nonsensical exchange.


    Deema sighed.


    ¡°Oh, my child... Didn''t your mother have this conversation with you?¡±


    ¡°I didn''t know my mother... She died before I was born. I was raised by my father.¡±


    Some of that was true, Silas thought.


    Deema put a hand to her face.


    ¡°I should have thought before I spoke.¡±


    ¡°No... it''s nothing... it was so long ago...¡±


    ¡°And... there was no other woman in your life...?¡±


    ¡°My grandmother...¡± she must have been talking about Barthra. ¡°But she only told me about flowers, herbs, birds, bees... There were some maids but I guess they didn''t have my father''s permission...¡±


    ¡°And what about you, Silas?¡±


    Now fully dressed, Silas folded his arms.


    ¡°I don''t want to talk about my parents.¡±


    ¡°Well, that''s all the more reason,¡± Deema insisted. ¡°You''ll both have to listen to us now.¡±


    ¡°Well, if my father has been keeping something so important from me... again... I need to know this instant!¡± Olivia exclaimed with determination.


    A while passed while Deema went on to explain everything about male-female relationships. Although his wife had asked for his help, Gorwan kept quiet, and looked the other way.


    By the time she concluded, the sun had long since disappeared, and the stars were twinkling in the sky. They returned to camp in silence. Deema and Gorwan ahead, Silas and Olivia following slowly, totally embarrassed.


    ¡°No... actually I didn''t need to know that... D-did you... know... something... about... about... that?¡± Olivia whispered to Silas.


    ¡°No... No one had explained it to me. I think everyone thought I was going to die at any moment and didn''t even bother.¡±


    ¡°For the chimeras... Is it... the same?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea. What does it matter?¡±


    ¡°J-just cu-curious.¡±


    ¡°Let''s not continue this conversation.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    The only good thing for Silas in all of that was that, for a moment, he had forgotten about his resounding failure.


    The next day, as soon as dawn broke, the camp was packed up, and soon after, the group of travelers could already see the first houses of the town looming in the distance.

 Chapter 39 - The first performance

    They arrived in town around mid-morning. The sun was rising high, and a cool breeze eased the heat of the road. They crossed the moss-covered stone entrance, and proceeded down a cobblestone main street. In the air hung the scent of freshly baked bread and chimney smoke.


    Silas peeked his head out of the wagon so he wouldn''t lose anything. Much to his dismay, he was curious. Aside from the Lake Village and the castle, he didn''t have much experience with settlements like that.


    Here there were wooden houses with thatched roofs, though built differently from the huts of the lake tribe. Others were made of stones and different materials. They also came in all sizes. Some looked more opulent, others more humble. Most of them showed different shades of colors, and there were flower pots in some windows.


    The villagers were already immersed in their daily chores. Their clothing was also quite diverse. In the castle, each inhabitant dressed in a certain way according to the function or position they carried out, and that had made it easy for him to identify everyone. However, in that town there were clothes of all colors and types, and it was almost impossible for him to know what each person did, although he could identify a group of guards who passed them by, and another group of men dressed in black who might occupy some important position.


    Since they had crossed the entrance, the chimera had been on constant alert in case they encountered any wizards. Although the talisman had been able to change the color of his eyes, it still had to pass the real test.


    As the wagons continued to move, Silas heard the voice of Gorwan and other members shouting to those present to announce the arrival of the group:


    ¡°Attention, attention, listen, dear neighbors! The Walking Dreamers have arrived in town!¡± Gorwan shouted enthusiastically, ringing a small bell.


    ¡°Tales of faraway lands and heroic deeds, told by the best musicians and actors in the kingdom!¡± followed Deema.


    ¡°This evening! In the square! At sunset! A show that will fire your imagination, and set your hearts aflame!¡±


    ¡°Comedy, drama and magic! You cannot miss it!¡±


    ¡°Come with your family, drag your friends! The Walking Dreamers promise you an experience you''ll never forget!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± a group of children ran towards the wagon. ¡°It''s you again!¡±


    ¡°Indeed, my dear friend! We meet again,¡± Gorwan replied.


    ¡°Will you do ''The Princess and the Jester'' again like last year?¡±


    ¡°Of course we are! Tonight! A special performance for our loyal fans! Tell your parents! Spread the word! The Walking Dreamers are back!¡±


    The children laughed and ran off, probably to do the very thing Gorwan had asked them to do.


    A little later the street gave way to a large open space surrounded by buildings that looked important. In the center a large number of people had gathered, walking in all directions. Women, dressed in all colors, carried baskets of freshly purchased food, and gathered in small groups to chat while their children scampered all over the place, dodging the busy adults. Several vendors had set up their food, fabric and tool stalls, and were loudly advertising their wares. From a busy blacksmith shop came the sound of hammering mixed with shouting. There were also artisans'' workshops crafting ceramic pieces with their skilled hands.


    Silas guessed that the huge place was probably the town square because the wagons stopped in one of the few areas that was empty, and they all started to get off. Olivia and Silas helped unload all the materials that would be used to set up the stage, and once they were done, she took him aside while the others talked about what they would be doing in the next few hours.


    ¡°That place you see over there,¡± she whispered to him pointing to a tall white building ¡°must be a temple dedicated to Nemertyss. Wizards go there a lot, so you''ll have to stay away. That over there I guess it''s a tavern, as you''ll see they''re all wiped out, you don''t want to go near it either.¡±


    ¡°I am not a child. You don''t need to tell me these things...¡±


    ¡°You are a chimera for the first time in a human town. Here there will be no sirenian to save you, understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes...¡±


    ¡°Good. Those two buildings must be the Town Hall and the Guild House.¡±


    To Silas that didn''t sound like anything so she had to elaborate. The Guild House was where merchants and artisans met to discuss important matters related to their trades. Meanwhile, in the Town Hall, there was the mayor, a person who was in charge of the town, judges who dispensed justice, a tax collector who took money from the people just for living there, a barracks of soldiers, and also the wizards appointed by the Council.


    All of that sounded unnecessarily very complicated, so Silas didn''t think he would be curious to go inside.


    Upon returning with the rest of the group, Deema informed them that the women and the younger ones would be sharing bedrooms at the inn while the men would be sleeping in the wagons. Olivia protested saying that they didn''t want to bother them any more, but the woman reassured her that they always did it that way since they had to stand guard by the wagons so that no one would steal anything from them.


    Led by Deema, Silas and Olivia, along with other members of the group, made their way to a nearby inn where she paid for two rooms. One for the boys and one for the women. After dropping off some of the luggage in the rooms, they headed to the dining room for some lunch before starting on all the work of assembling the stage. Deema disappeared for a moment to take the food to Gorwan and the others who had remained in the square tending the wagons.


    As they began to greedily devour an exquisite beef stew that melted in their mouths, Elyssa made a comment about Olivia, that caused the latter to choke on the food:


    ¡°You have very good manners. I would love to be as refined as you.¡±


    In the last few days, the chimera had noticed something rather odd, which was that Olivia seemed to attract more attention than he himself. The cause was related to her noble origin that made her behave differently from the rest of the commoners. It took him a while to notice it as he was not used to spot those little differences that for humans seemed to be very important. Meanwhile, trapped in that form, and despite his ignorance, he had no problem blending in with the rest. And he had barely learned how to use the cutlery by watching the castle servants eat, which was quite useful now that he was forced to pretend to be just another human.


    It was a funny situation indeed.


    Awkwardly, Olivia tried to change the topic of conversation and the way she was holding the spoon, which caused her to splash some of the stew on the table.


    She had to watch herself, too. They had no idea what had happened in the last few days at the lake. There could be people looking for her, Eldrin, the wizards, even the king''s soldiers.


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    It was too late to change her name. With all the surprise it had been for her to wake up in the tent with him changed into that form, they had forgotten to change her identity. But it was too late. Now they had to go as unnoticed as possible. That was why Olivia had left her hood on from the moment they had entered the town, making the excuse in front of the others that she was protecting her delicate skin from the sun.


    ¡°You should have asked your friend the witch,¡± Silas had told her at another previous time.


    ¡°I told you, she is not my friend. And she has helped us enough without asking her for more favors.¡±


    ¡°You''re too nice to someone who can use your body without your permission.¡±


    ¡°You''re right...¡± sighed Olivia. ¡°She''s a bastard... they''re all bastards... although maybe I shouldn''t be saying that... they might be listening... I''m going to lose my mind!¡±


    To her advantage, the engagement to the royal heir had not yet been publicly announced, and she herself was not well known in the kingdom due to the secluded life she had led. Also, her father had told her at parting that he would take care of the suspicions surrounding her disappearance. They had no choice but to trust him and continue their journey to reach the island as soon as possible.


    The problem was at that rate it would take them quite a while to do so. According to the actors, depending on how they did with each performance, they could stay between five to ten days in each town they passed through. That meant it would take a month to get to Stormbrace.Silas had proposed at one point that they go on their own, but Olivia insisted that a boy and a girl walking alone in the countryside would draw quite a bit of attention, whereas being with the actors no one would notice their presence. Besides, there was always the risk of encountering soldiers, wizards or bandits.


    Therefore, they were in a dead end.


    After lunch, they returned to the square with the rest of the group, who were already assembling a small wooden platform on which they would perform the play. Silas didn''t want to hit himself again with the hammer so he went to help Meldo, a man close to Gorwan''s age, who had been designated as the group''s puppeteer.


    Silas hadn''t understood what that was all about until Meldo showed him a pile of cloth puppets. He had assembled a sort of huge box out of wood that stood vertically. In the upper part of the box there was an opening through which the dolls were to appear.


    With a broad smile, Meldo asked if he wouldn''t like to help him entertain the children who had gathered around. Silas told him he didn''t know what to do, but the man explained. They both got inside the cramped box and each raised his hands to handle the dolls.


    In the end, it had been quite simple. The doll handled by Silas was a villain who was being chased by soldiers because of his misdeeds and then beaten with a stick by a cunning old woman who had been the only one able to catch him. The story was rather silly and nonsensical but on the other side they could hear the children who seemed to be cracking up with laughter.


    He also had his fun.


    Meanwhile, the stage had been completed, and was now adorned with colorful fabrics. After the show with Meldo was over, Silas looked for Olivia and found her helping inside one of the wagons with the actresses'' costumes.


    Although she had also changed her clothes for a pink dress, which seemed suspicious.


    ¡°Don''t tell me that...¡± Silas began to say.


    ¡°Ah...¡± she blushed. ¡°Elyssa and Celestia convinced me... It''s not a very important role. I''m just the courtesan number two of the court. I hardly say anything.¡±


    ¡°You''re...!¡± Olivia covered his mouth so he wouldn''t scream and Silas lowered his voice. ¡°You''re crazy. Do you want everyone to see you? Someone might...¡±


    ¡°Celestia has given me a blonde wig and a mask for my character... No one will be able to recognize me.¡±


    ¡°But what for?¡±


    ¡°It''s... liberating...¡±


    ¡°Hiding behind a mask is liberating?¡±


    ¡°It allows you to be a different person... to forget what constrains you... you could try it too.¡±


    ¡°I don''t want to.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, you''re afraid of wizards,¡± she said in a worried tone. ¡°What a pity.¡±


    Silas'' body tensed with indignation. He wasn''t afraid of wizards. In fact, he was more afraid of standing up in front of all those people and making a fool of himself as she was about to do. But he didn''t know whether to lie to her or tell her the truth, either option would make him feel ashamed, so he just grunted that he wasn''t interested in that meaningless human entertainment.


    ¡°I guess there are no actors among the chimeras... but maybe you must have told each other stories, right?¡±


    She wasn''t so wrong about that. Every now and then the pack would stop somewhere, and the elders would tell stories to the youngest so that the memory of their ancestors would be passed on to the next generation. There were also a couple of times in the year that all the packs in the mountains would congregate at a sacred place to sing songs in the moonlight. But there was a chasm between that and dressing up in those ridiculous costumes to talk about the exploits of people who never existed.


    ¡°Careful, Silas...¡± Celestia crooned, passing by them. ¡°Olivia could capture many hearts today...¡±


    ¡°It will be a break for us,¡± added Elyssa winking at him. ¡°We are grateful for her sacrifice.¡±


    Silas walked away annoyed by the comment, which made the rest of the women laugh at him.


    Now he understood why her father had locked her in the castle, Silas thought. Ever since Olivia had befriended Elyssa and Celestia, she had become much sillier. The sisters kept giggling like magpies, and letting out annoying giggles, especially when they saw him passing by.


    Silas knew that in that form he must have a very unpleasant face. He didn''t like to look at himself in the mirror but curiosity had led him to do so, wondering what was so funny. He had even feared that his eyes had become golden again. That talisman seemed to be a similar object to what Daephennya had given Olivia so it wouldn''t be unusual for its power to be consumed. But that was not the case, it was still working.


    By dusk, the vendors had set up their stalls, and the rest of the townspeople had begun to gather around the stage. Many children were running around and spying on the actors who were rehearsing hidden among the wagons. Everyone was chattering and shouting, impatient for the long-awaited show to begin.


    Silas stood at the side of the stage, near the wagons.


    To calm the audience''s eagerness, the first to come out were two boys who began to perform daring acrobatic stunts, as well as risky juggling with knives and lit torches.


    The people shouted both in amazement and terror.


    To start the play, Gorwan then came out to play his lute and sing about the events that were to follow. Behind him a kind of white sheet had been placed where shadows of people appeared and moved according to the musician''s voice. Finally, the actors appeared and the whole square burst into cheers.


    The name of the play was ¡°The Princess and the Jester¡±. The dumbest name Silas had ever heard in his life. It was a comedy of misunderstandings in which a grotesque jester helped a princess escape from an arranged marriage to a snooty, arrogant prince... Why were there so many arranged marriages? Where did so much obsession come from? But, not to despair. The story had a happy ending because the jester was actually another handsome prince, the real one in fact, who had been cursed by a villainous elf who had put an impostor in his place. The Mistress of the Whispering Forest would certainly not have liked that play.


    Olivia''s appearance lasted no more than a few brief minutes and then she went to sit for the rest of the play next to Silas. Despite how little time she had been on stage, she seemed joyful. She kept laughing and clapping enthusiastically, just as she had done at the Dragon Lake when the tribe members performed the Terrarkana legend. A while earlier she had told him with her eyes sparkling about all the times her father had invited actors from different parts of the kingdom to come and perform on special occasions.


    Silas, bored with the play, had taken to watching the audience carefully. He could not recognize any red tunics in the crowd. Nor had he seen much movement in front of the Town Hall during the day.


    The show seemed to be a resounding success, much to Silas'' frustration, since that meant they would probably be staying in that town for several days.


    A bald, mature man, dressed in opulent clothes, who was introduced as the mayor, took the stage to welcome and thank the actors.


    The evening continued with a small party in honor of the newcomers, who mingled with the villagers to share mugs of beer, food and conversation at wooden tables that had been brought into the square. Some bonfires were also lit.


    Celestia and Elyssa dragged Olivia and Silas, along with Alder, over to a group of young couples who had begun dancing around the bonfires to the rhythm of lively music of lutes, flutes and drums.


    Silas began to feel dazed by the incessant murmur of cheerful voices and raucous laughter. At some point, an unknown boy appeared in front of him by surprise, brought a mug of beer to his mouth, and forced him to take a sip, which he soon spat out. As he coughed, trying to get rid of the bitter taste that had remained on his tongue, he heard laughter all around him indicating that he had become the target of a joke that did not amuse him at all.


    He walked through the crowd, trying to find his way to the inn but, suddenly, two unknown girls stood in front of him looking at him with their eyes as wide as if they would pop out at him.


    ¡°By the Nymph... Do you see that?¡± said one of them.


    ¡°His face!¡± exclaimed the other.


    A shiver ran down Silas'' back as he put a hand to his chest and clung to the talisman.

 Chapter 40 - The dance

    In front of Silas, the two girls continued talking to each other as if nothing had happened. He could tell from their flushed faces and goofy smiles that they had been drinking too much.


    ¡°I had never seen a boy like that...¡±


    ¡°Those eyes... that shape...¡±


    ¡°His hair... He looks like a lion!¡±


    ¡°He has a wild look!¡±


    Silas'' heart had stopped wondering if he had been found out. For a moment he thought he was about to lose control of his body and turn into a mouse, something he would have actually preferred at that moment because that would mean he hadn''t lost his power.


    But nothing of the sort happened.


    ¡°Is he an elf?¡± one of the girls asked.


    Silas gave them both an outraged look. No! Anything but an elf!


    ¡°Of course not, silly,¡± answered the other one. ¡°Elves can''t leave the forest, it would be impossible.¡±


    ¡°But he''s so...!¡±


    ¡°What''s your name?¡± asked one of them as they were getting closer. ¡°We''ve never seen you here before.¡±


    ¡°Are you one of the actors? We didn''t see you on stage! Where were you hiding all this time?¡±


    Silas tried to avoid them, but they continued to follow him. He had to turn around, fearing that they would follow him back to the inn. The only thing he could think of at that moment was to scream and run away.


    ¡°Olivia!¡±


    Even though he had shown that he wanted nothing to do with them, the two girls followed him, bursting out laughing.


    ¡°Olivia!¡±


    He felt ridiculous as he searched for her, but she was the only one who could get him out of that mess.


    He found her near one of the bonfires where the couples were dancing.


    ¡°Olivia!¡±


    She looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°Silas... what''s wrong?¡±


    ¡°They...¡± Silas pointed at the girls who were holding their stomachs so hard they were laughing. ¡°They won''t leave me alone! Tell them to go away!¡±


    Olivia looked at him in surprise for a moment and, to top it all, let out an abrupt burst of laughter. Silas couldn''t stand the indignation any longer, and was about to turn around and go back to the inn, but she stopped him.


    ¡°Don''t listen to them. They''re just having fun. Enjoy yourself, it''s a party!¡±


    ¡°They''re making fun of me!¡±


    ¡°No... they''re not...¡±


    ¡°But they''re laughing!¡±


    ¡°You just don''t realize...¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to realize?¡±


    ¡°Silas... you...¡± Olivia held her hands to her head as if she was about to say something that was very hard for her.


    What the hell was wrong with the female humans? None of the men behaved like this with him.


    ¡°What? What''s wrong with me?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, Silas... there''s nothing wrong with your face, quite the opposite.¡±


    He frowned, he didn''t believe her at all, she must be teasing him too.


    ¡°Don''t listen to them. At some point they''ll get tired and leave you alone,¡± Olivia insisted.


    ¡°I can''t stand it, make them stop right now.¡±


    Olivia watched the giggling girls, and then sighed wearily.


    ¡°I don''t think they''ll listen to me if I ask them to. But I know a way to get them to leave you alone.¡±


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    She hesitated for a moment before answering.


    ¡°First of all... hold out your hand to me as if you were going to ask me for something.¡±


    ¡°Like this?¡± Silas asked, doing as she said and putting his hand palm up.


    ¡°Good,¡± in response she put her hand on top of his.


    Silas felt a strange yet warm sensation that started in his hand and ran through his whole body. It must have been the bonfire.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked.


    She ignored the question.


    ¡°Now lead me over there,¡± she pointed with her eyes to the dancing couples.


    Suddenly, Silas understood what she was asking and let go of her hand.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    She gave him a bored look, and raised her hands as if she didn''t care.


    ¡°If you don''t want to, it''s fine. I was just trying to help.¡±


    ¡°And why would they leave me alone if I do this?¡±


    ¡°They''ll see me dance with you, and they''ll get bored.¡±


    She spoke as if it was something obvious. Humans had a funny way of thinking.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.


    Olivia shrugged.


    ¡°Girls are like that.¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t make sense. Besides... I don''t know how to do that...¡±


    ¡°Dance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that.¡±


    Just do the same thing they are doing.¡±


    ¡°They''re just jumping up and down.¡±


    ¡°So let''s do that. I don''t have much practice either. My father never held balls in Shadowrock... though the servants would throw the occasional party... and Eldrin instructed me that I should learn to dance by the time I...¡± Olivia shook her head. ¡°Just ask me to dance, you''ll be fine.¡±


    She did nothing, however. Silas looked back at the girls, and saw that they had been joined by a few more who had approached out of curiosity. The first two who had started it all were pointing at the boy. If that continued, the number would increase, and they would attract everyone''s attention.


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    So he held out his hand to Olivia, and she motioned for him to lead her to the dance floor. Now he felt an uncomfortable sensation in his hand, as if it had become wet. That first form of his was disgusting. No wonder his elders despised it so much.


    Already very close to the dancing couples, and trying not to bump into any of them, Olivia continued to give him instructions.


    ¡°Now, put your other hand on my waist.¡±


    The boy curled his fingers as if he was about to capture a poisonous snake, and placed his hand on Olivia''s waist. It felt even weirder.


    At that precise moment he started to feel something strange in his stomach, as if the food had made him unwell. Surely he was about to get sick, there was no other explanation.


    She put her other hand on his shoulder. They were too close, almost as close as when they had slept for days inside the tree. He could almost feel her breath on his face.


    ¡°This is weird,¡± he said, holding his breath.


    ¡°This is how we humans dance.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Just look at the others.¡±


    Silas did and, indeed, she was right.


    ¡°Hey, you two!¡± that was Elyssa''s voice, who was already dancing as her siblings who circled around the bonfire with their respective partners. ¡°What are you waiting for?¡±


    ¡°I think we''re ready,¡± nodded Olivia, however, even though it had been her idea, she didn''t seem very convinced.


    Silas lowered his gaze and wrinkled his lips.


    ¡°Don''t worry, it''s normal to be nervous,¡± said Olivia.


    ¡°Who''s nervous?¡± Silas swallowed. ¡°You''re nervous!¡±


    She rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Just follow the music and let yourself go,¡± she said.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Turn with me.¡±


    ¡°How foolish...¡± said Silas, but more foolish was standing there doing nothing in the middle of all the couples spinning non-stop.


    He did as she instructed.


    ¡°You move like a rabbit,¡± Olivia told him. ¡°Just follow the rhythm.¡±


    ¡°I''m following the rhythm.¡±


    ¡°Try not to step on my foot,¡± she complained.


    ¡°Why are you upset? This was your idea!¡±


    They continued to hop around without moving much from their place. Silas looked out of the corner of his eye in the direction of the girls who had laughed at him, but now they seemed to have forgotten as they were no longer there. Meanwhile the other couples continued to dance around, making them look as lost as two leaves swept by the strong current of a river.


    Olivia sighed, and a slight blush lit up her cheeks.


    ¡°Forget it, you''re so ungrateful. This is my first dance... I can''t believe I''m wasting it on you. I just wanted to help.¡±


    But when she tried to break away, he held her back. He didn''t understand why, but he felt his pride hurt. Maybe it was the fact that he couldn''t perform something as simple as that meaningless dance. He couldn''t let the humans beat him.


    She raised her eyes to him, surprised.


    ¡°Wait,¡± said Silas. ¡°It can''t be that hard.¡±


    He looked again at the rest of the couples. It was not the first time he had been in that situation. It was not so different from when he had learned to adopt his other forms. The mice moved fast and stealthy, with small zigzags that allowed them to dodge any obstacle and seek shelter in tiny places. The foxes'' agile and flexible bodies advanced with light and graceful steps, their ears and eyes alert to any detail that would allow them to capture their prey. The cats'' movements were fluid and precise, as they walked on tiptoe, their tails raised in a perfect curve, pausing every now and then to survey their surroundings, ready to pounce at surprising speed. The dogs jogged briskly at a steady, determined pace, their tails wagging playfully, following their masters with enthusiasm, but always alert to any suspicious movement.


    And the humans, well... the humans were hard to describe. Not a single one moved the same way. They were unpredictable. They moved all over the place with no fixed direction. Their hands would intertwine and let go, they would change their posture without ceasing to turn. Their steps were varied, some twirled gracefully, others seemed more clumsy, but that didn''t seem to matter and they continued dancing with smiling faces. They acted carefree, as if nothing bad weighed on them, as if they had forgotten the rest of the world, as if they were free.


    He felt a twinge of envy. He had never felt like that.


    There was a knot inside him, Thalassa had said, a knot that was holding him back, and until he untied it he could not be all he wanted to be.


    He didn''t yet know how to untie it, but, at least for a moment, he would like to pretend it didn''t exist.


    ¡°Silas?¡± Olivia looked at him with a worried face. ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    He shook his head, and closed his eyes.


    Follow the music, she had told him.


    He began to sway from side to side doing little jumps following the rhythm of the drums. She went along with his movements, though then gave him a little squeeze on the shoulder to tell him to start turning. At first they turned on the same spot and then, little by little, continued to move around the dance floor right along with the other couples.


    Suddenly, everything turned blurred. The faces around them became distorted, the bodies darkened to shadows in the backlight of the bonfire, and the lights stretched out like golden threads wrapped around them.


    The only thing he could recognize was Olivia''s face. To keep from getting dizzy, he focused on her sea-blue eyes that stared at him as steadily as he must have been staring at her. Like the rumbling of a drum, his heartbeat pounded inside his chest as if it wanted to escape and fly away like a bird.


    At some point, he realized that he could barely feel his legs. It was as if they had learned to move on their own, of their own volition, separate from his mind. It was a sensation similar to floating on the water, although in this case he felt as if his body was going to be catapulted at any moment and be launched into the starry sky. He had always wanted to fly, to feel the wind beneath his wings, and this dance was the closest thing to that. He felt light, like a feather.


    Olivia must have been feeling the same because she started to laugh. But that laugh wasn''t like the ones before it. She had many ways to laugh, from the shyest, to the loudest. Genuine or fake. Some mocking, some even sad... He had kept a record of each one, nothing more than as part of his research on humans, of course. That laughter, however, sounded relaxed, almost sleepy, as if she, also, was about to drift off into the night breeze.


    Then he saw it.


    A red blur amidst all the confusion of light and shadow.


    A wizard watching them.


    Silas'' mind came back to earth. His feet tangled together, and he fell to the ground, also dragging Olivia who fell on top of him. From the floor, he saw the stars spinning madly and several feet almost kicking him in the face. Despite being so close to the fire, his body turned cold as if he had been left lying in the snow.


    Olivia was as stunned as he was, and she took a long time to get up. Meanwhile, he lay stiffly on his back, his heart pounding, waiting for the red tunic that had come for him.


    He clenched his fists.


    ¡°I want to be a mouse, I want to be a mouse, please, let me be a mouse,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Silas, what happened?¡± Olivia asked, and felt his warm hand on her face.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Celestia, Elyssa and Alder had come over, and helped Silas stand up.


    ¡°He''s had too much to drink,¡± Alder said.


    Silas had barely taken that one sip he had to spit out, but he felt perhaps as groggy as the rest of the drunks. His legs were shaking like two twigs about to snap.


    He was afraid. He didn''t want to admit it, but he was afraid of being caught again. This time he had no way to escape, he was limited by that cursed body.


    Even though he had tried, it was impossible to forget. He was not a human, he did not belong there.


    He dropped down on Olivia who barely managed to hold his heavy body, and took the opportunity to speak to her in whispers so the others wouldn''t hear.


    ¡°Olivia, do you see the wizard?¡±


    ¡°Wizard?¡± Olivia''s head turned slowly. ¡°I don''t see one. Where did you see him?¡±


    ¡°I don''t know, we were spinning...¡±


    ¡°Alder, can you hold him?¡± Olivia asked the other boy, and Silas reluctantly let him assist.


    ¡°We''d better take him to the inn,¡± said Alder and so he did, helped by Olivia and his sisters.


    They crossed the entrance and looked for the room where Silas was to sleep with Alder and a pair of other boys from the group. They laid him down on one of the beds, and Olivia asked them to leave them alone for a moment.


    Alder pursed his lips, but he said he was going back to the party anyway. On the other hand, Celestia and Elyssa gave them teasing looks before saying goodbye.


    Olivia had wet a cloth, and was now wiping it over her face. The heat had returned to his body in the manner of a sudden, suffocating fever.


    ¡°I didn''t see any wizards,¡± she finally told him.


    Silas took a deep breath, and gasped.


    ¡°I''m sure I did.¡±


    ¡°I''m not saying there wasn''t one. Actually, that would be a good thing, because it means he walked away without realizing you were a chimera. The talisman is working!¡±


    ¡°I don''t know why I reacted that way,¡± Silas thought, although then he realized he had said it out loud because Olivia answered him.


    ¡°It took you by surprise, it''s normal. We danced too much... I also felt...¡± she smiled. ¡°In the end you turned out to be a good dancer.¡±


    ¡°I can''t take it anymore,¡± he said barely paying attention to her words and taking the cloth from her hand to cover his entire face with it.


    ¡°We must be patient, we are getting closer.¡±


    ¡°We could already be arriving at the island if it weren''t for the fact that I was unable to maintain the new form that the sirenians gifted to me.¡±


    ¡°There is no point in lamenting now.¡±


    ¡°I hate this form so much.¡±


    ¡°You don''t look bad at all. You saw how the girls acted. You''re actually very...¡±


    ¡°I don''t care what they think or even what you think. I''m a chimera, I need to transform. I can''t go on like this, I feel so miserable.¡±


    ¡°I thought you were enjoying the dance...¡±


    ¡°I was just pretending, I wanted to forget about my problems for a while.¡±


    She sighed.


    ¡°I understand...¡±


    There was a long silence until she spoke again.


    ¡°Do you want me to stay or...?¡±


    ¡°I''d rather you left. I want to be alone.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    He heard her feet dragging on the floor and then the door opening and closing.


    Feeling cold again, he threw off the cloth and tried to wrap himself in the blankets.


    The silence in the room grew heavier. Rumors of the party still reached him from afar, as he tried to quiet the flood of thoughts that kept him from sleeping.

 Chapter 41 - The fight

    During the following days staying in the town, the group''s routine continued the same. They got up early and had breakfast at the inn with a simple menu of bread, cheese, milk and fruit. The morning was the quietest part of the day. Some of them spent their time arranging the stage, among other preparations, although it was also the best moment to take some time to go around the town, which Olivia did in the company of Elyssa, Celestia and Deema, who wandered around the market and other stores in search of new fabrics and accessories to improve their costumes.


    Aside from the plays, this had become Olivia''s favorite activity of the day. Stranded among colors, aromas and the bustle of merchants and shoppers, trying not to loose sight of anything and enjoying every instant, she walked slowly behind her companions who stopped in front of exotically scented spice stalls, fabrics of all colors and textures, wooden figures, necklaces, bracelets, shiny stones, rings, cookies and candies. That was such an explosion of sensations that left her stunned for quite a while.


    At lunchtime they met again with the rest of the group before starting the busiest part of the day, which consisted of rehearsing and getting everything ready for the afternoon and evening performances, at the end of which the group would gather in the tavern with some villagers to enjoy some beer and wine in a much quieter atmosphere, very differente from the first night. Sometimes Gorwan would start playing and other musicians would join him with some drum or flute and the rest of the customers would start singing songs both romantic and funny.


    It didn''t take Olivia long to get used to the rhythm that was so different from her life at the castle. By the fourth day she was seriously wondering whether she should not forget the island and continue her journey with the actors. In that simple way of life she found a quiet pleasure she could have been content with. She could already imagine herself traveling all over the kingdom, getting to know all the cities and villages, learning to perform until she became the leading actress and even meeting someone with whom she could share that life, in the same way as had happened to Deema and Gorwan.


    However, there was always something that clouded her illusions and that was the fear of another witch taking possession of her body. Since her last conversation with Dawn, nothing like that had ever happened again. She didn''t know if that should make her feel reassured or even more nervous. The longer it went on, the more likely it was that one of those beings could manifest.


    At night, while the rest of her roommates slept peacefully, oblivious to such worries, she kept sleepless until late thinking about what could have triggered her unusual power.


    Actually, she was not sure whether to consider it a real power. It seemed to be more like a weakness. Her body had become the vessel of unknown beings of whom there were no records, or at least no records of them in the books of Shadowrock''s library. It would be strange if even the wizards themselves didn''t know about the existence of witches, but Eldrin had never mentioned anything to her... although now that she thought about it she couldn''t trust anything her old master had told her throughout her whole life.


    For a few days she had considered the possibility of visiting the library that was to be found inside the Town Hall but then dismissed it because, even if she dared to approach that place, she doubted that she would find any information that would be of any use.


    She had inhabited the world for seventeen years completely unaware of what lay hidden within her own body. Not even when she began to learn magic did she feel anything special. She was nothing more than a regular Initiate with mediocre powers, even if Eldrin insisted on her potential.


    All that time she had thought her master was being nothing more than too kind to her, because of her high position, but in reality his enthusiasm was because he knew about Olivia''s true nature, though she couldn''t know how much Daephennya had told him.


    Perhaps it had been Eldrin himself who had been tasked with keeping her power stable at Daephennya''s request, and everything fell apart the moment she found herself away from his influence.


    If she believed Dawn''s words to be true, the witch who had attacked the lake had taken advantage of a moment of vulnerability. Perhaps the same thing had happened in the water when she lost sight of Silas and hours later after she thought he had died.


    In other words, she could not let her guard down at any moment, but neither could she let herself panic because perhaps that would also put her in a risky situation. That was one of the reasons why she spent so much time with Elyssa and Celestia, who helped her forget about her former life for a while and pretend that she was just an ordinary commoner living a happy wandering life.


    It wasn''t hard to get caught up in the mood of those two sisters who seemed to know nothing but joy. Olivia even felt a little jealous. Their only concerns were to learn by heart their lines, to keep their clothes in good condition and to look for possible suitors. It was for that reason that they took advantage of their morning walks to meet boys on the street, something Olivia found quite unusual due to the boldness of those two who did not hesitate to react to any hint of flirtation in the form of a wink or a whistle.


    Olivia had also been the target of those bold gestures, which made her feel flattered, although she forced herself to snap out of her daze as soon as she remembered that she was supposed to show her affection for Silas, which had become a difficult task due to the few moments they found themselves in the same place.


    Anyone who knew the truth about Silas would assume that it would be he, not Olivia, who would be most curious about life in the town. However, after the initial scare he had gotten the first night, he barely separated from the group, especially from Meldo, the puppeteer, with whom he seemed to get along quite well. Olivia would never have imagined that Silas would prefer to spend the whole evening entertaining children locked inside that huge wooden box. But it made sense if he wanted to avoid contact with humans as much as possible without anyone finding his actions strange.


    Because of that, Olivia only came across him at mealtimes and just before the last performance when everyone was getting down to help with the preparations.


    It even seemed like he was avoiding her as well, and she couldn''t understand why. She hadn''t done anything wrong or at least she didn''t think so. Maybe her dance request had been foolish, but he couldn''t stay mad about it.


    Though she also felt guilty. Silas thought there was something wrong with him, but it was quite the opposite, and she had failed to tell him the truth because she hadn''t had enough courage.


    So, yes, Olivia could no longer deny it.


    Silas was handsome, perhaps the most handsome boy she had ever seen in her life, which surely must be an exaggeration since she hadn''t been able to spend time with many members of the opposite sex, with the exception of wizards, soldiers and servants of her own castle, who were not, according to her, noted for their beauty, and perhaps it was only a matter of time until she met someone more handsome than him, and then she would manage not to feel so troubled.


    In fact, his unwillingness to talk had made it easier for her to behave like a normal person.


    Several times she had caught herself staring at him for a while until she realized what she was doing. Silas didn''t seem to have noticed or, if he had, maybe he still thought there was something wrong with his face.


    Because of that she decided that when they left town she would take some time to talk to him alone and come clean once and for all.


    After all, saying he was handsome was no big deal. It was a simple objective fact that had nothing to do with what she felt, because it was unthinkable that she could feel any interest in someone as sullen, indifferent and cold as he could be at times. They were like oil and water. In his fox or dog form she could tolerate him, even consider him adorable, but as a human, or whatever he was, she found him unbearable.


    She would simply tell him the truth so he would stop worrying. It was the least she could do, although she resented the idea that he would start acting arrogant once he knew that girls could go crazy over him. That idea outraged her.


    But she considered herself an honest person, so as soon as she had the chance she would end the matter once and for all.


    However, it took another few days for that talk to happen.


    The Princess and the Jester¡± had been followed by other plays that had been received with great enthusiasm by the public. Among them was ¡°The Mystery of the Enchanted Forest¡± in which a group of villagers set out in search of their lost friends who had come under the spells of the fairy queen played by Deema. ¡°Songs of the Old Tavern¡± consisted of a musical show in which both Elyssa and Celestia shone with their commanding voices accompanied by their father''s lute. ¡°The Wizard''s Trial¡± was an intense drama about a wizard wrongly accused of treason, played by an impassioned Alder who had to prove his innocence before an unforgiving court. ¡°The Dream Hunter¡± was a favorite of Gorwan who excelled in the role of a mysterious being who traveled between the waking and sleeping worlds to protect people from nightmares that became reality and to confront a demon that begins to pollute everyone''s dreams.


    The last night concluded with ¡°The Dance of the Elementals¡± when all the actors came out to the square dressed in their best costumes pretending to be fairies, gnomes, sylphs, undines, dryads and salamanders awakening at the beginning of spring. The townsfolk joined in the dancing and another big party broke out, only in this case Silas went back to the inn earlier while Olivia stayed dancing until dawn in the company of her friends. Several boys asked her to dance, including the distrustful Alder who approached her with much embarrassment.


    In all that time, she had kept participating in small roles that did not require her to speak, and with each new performance she became more dazzled by the theatrical art. However, the success of The Walking Dreamers, had gotten them lost about ten days before they continued their journey to the next town.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Silas had barely spoken to her, but she could sense his growing impatience behind his grim looks.


    ¡°Lovers'' quarrel?¡± Alder had teased one day when he caught her looking at Silas from afar.


    ¡°Alder!¡± she exclaimed, startled. ¡°It''s none of your business!¡±


    As the days went by, Alder seemed to get used to the two new members and treated them with more familiarity.


    ¡°He''s an idiot,¡± he told her. ¡°He should take responsibility for what he did to you.¡±


    ¡°What he did to me?¡±


    ¡°Of course, he forces you to run away with him...¡±


    ¡°He didn''t make me do anything!¡±


    In fact, it had been the opposite. She had convinced him to continue his journey to the island.


    Alder gave her a skeptical look.


    ¡°In these circumstances, the man is responsible for the woman''s honor,¡± he said with conviction.


    Olivia''s face turned all colors.


    ¡°If I were him...¡± Alder continued. ¡°I would worry about your wellbeing...¡±


    ¡°Well, you''re not him, and you don''t have to worry about me!¡± Olivia exclaimed, turning away, although she felt bad about her rudeness.


    Elyssa had committed the naughtiness of telling her that her brother was interested in her.


    ¡°If things with Silas don''t work out... who knows? We could be sisters!"


    So that had been another thing to add to her long list of worries. In those days, she had also heard rumors about the attack on the lake. No one mentioned her name, at least. Everyone was more amazed that a group of wizards had attacked the untouchable sirenians. Nothing was said about the daughter of the Count of Shadowrock, except that the nobleman was on the scene at the time of the attack. Apparently, the Council did not want to make a fuss or her father had come up with a convincing explanation for her disappearance.


    But that didn''t mean she could rest easy. The royal family could become impatient and start looking for her all over the kingdom. When she reached the next town, they would have to think of a way to speed up their pace. Perhaps there was no choice, but to separate from the actors, although that filled Olivia with an anticipatory sadness.


    So, after a day''s rest, the group returned to the roads once more. They set out early and so as not to waste the hours of sunshine they did not stop until late in the afternoon to break camp.At some point, as they began to prepare everything, Olivia noticed that Silas had disappeared. With a smile, Celestia told her that she had seen him walking away in the direction of a nearby river. Maybe he had gone for a swim.


    Olivia decided that should be the time to discuss their future plans and confess to him what she had not had the courage to admit before.


    However, when she reached the river she couldn''t see him. She moved slowly along the bank until suddenly something dark moved under the water and a figure emerged causing her to startle.


    ¡°Silas!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°What are you doing? You''re going to drown!¡±


    The current in that part was not very strong, but she already had a suspicion of what he was actually doing there.


    ¡°It''s no big deal,¡± he told her in an indifferent tone while running his hands over his face to remove the water. His long hair, normally a cascade of unruly golden locks, was now wet and clinging to his head and neck, further highlighting his striking, harmonious facial features. His golden eyes seemed to burn in the light of the afternoon rays.


    ¡°Why do you have to do that in the water? It''s dangerous!¡±


    ¡°What do you think I''m doing?¡±


    ¡°Well, that''s obvious...¡± Olivia lowered her voice in case there was someone from the group nearby. ¡°You''re trying to transform... You want to go back to being an orca.¡±


    Silas looked to the side and that gesture indicated Olivia that she was right.


    ¡°We have lost so many days,¡± he said as he got away from the water.


    Olivia turned away from his naked body. He went to look for his clothes which had been left lying next to a tree.


    ¡°I know... I wanted to talk to you about it...¡± said she.


    ¡°You, on the other hand, have been having a great time,¡± she scolded him.


    Olivia gritted her teeth.


    ¡°So have you!¡±


    She felt him spit behind her.


    ¡°I had to.¡±


    ¡°Sure, just like the dance,¡± Olivia muttered.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Nothing...¡± she replied and changed the subject. "Why don''t you try becoming a fox? If you spend too much time under water...¡±


    ¡°I''ve tried a thousand ways... This was only a last attempt.¡±


    ¡°Have you given up then?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! I know it''s very difficult to go back to being an orca. We chimeras learn by imitation. We can''t transform ourselves into what we haven''t seen. That''s why I couldn''t hold on to my orca form for so long, because those memories belonged to the Sirenians.¡±


    ¡°Then...¡±


    ¡°I was trying to turn into some fish...¡±


    That sounded pretty insane to Olivia.


    ¡°But if you turn into a fish someone might catch you, or a bigger fish might come and eat you!¡±


    ¡°That''s better than staying in this form.¡±


    ¡°Silas!¡± Olivia turned around and her heart stopped. He had put on his pants but his muscular chest was still uncovered.


    She promptly forgot what she was going to say but Silas, more concerned about his power, didn''t seem to notice her predicament.


    ¡°You don''t understand! What if I''m trapped in this form forever? I don''t even want to think about it!"


    Olivia sighed.


    ¡°It wouldn''t be so bad... I know it from experience,¡± she wanted it to sound like a joke, but that didn''t work with the chimera.


    ¡°Leave me alone,¡± he said as he grimaced and put the talisman back on and continued dressing.


    ¡°Of course not. If I leave, you''re likely to drown.¡±


    Silas didn''t contradict her.


    ¡°You are not responsible for what happens to me.¡±


    ¡°It''s not about responsibility... you''re my...¡± she was about to say ¡°friend¡± but even that word made her feel uncomfortable. ¡°We are allies... remember?¡±


    ¡°You are nobody to me. We''re together for convenience.¡±


    That hurt Olivia more than she would have liked to admit, even to herself.


    ¡°How can you say that? I know you''re frustrated but that''s no reason to...!¡±


    ¡°Frustrated?¡± Silas exclaimed furiosly. ¡°You have no idea how I feel! I''m a chimera! My power is what defines me! A chimera incapable of transformation is nothing!¡±


    ¡°Silas...¡±


    He vented his rage by punching the tree.


    ¡°Don''t call me that! I''m nobody! I have no name! I''m nameless!¡±


    ¡°You have a name for me, even if it doesn''t matter to you.¡±


    ¡°You''re nobody, you''re not part of my pack. I was just an excuse to run away from your father!¡±


    ¡°Forget your pack! They abandoned you!¡±


    She was there with him, she did not abandoned him. How could he not realize that?


    ¡°You have no idea how things went!¡± exclaimed Silas.


    ¡°I only know what you''ve told me!¡± Olivia tried to calm down. ¡°If you told me the rest of the story, maybe...¡±


    ¡°From the beginning you have been like this... always meddling in matters that don''t concern you... ever since you took me out of that cage...¡±


    ¡°You were trapped!¡±


    ¡°Not for long.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? The cage was full of shields! It was impossible for you to get out on your own!¡±


    ¡°Your father said it was to keep me safe.¡±


    Olivia looked at him blankly.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    He lifted his chin arrogantly.


    ¡°That. Your father didn''t want to hurt me... on the contrary... Before you showed up he had come up with a plan to trick the king.¡±


    He went on to explain that the night they met, just a couple of hours before Olivia reached the experiment tower, the Count had told the chimera that he had never intended to hand him over to the king, but that Silas would be taken in front of the monarch so that he would sign the annulment of the betrothal. Once they achieved that, the chimera would be secretly rescued by one of Count''s own spies inside the royal palace.


    ¡°I am Alaric of Shadowrock, Guardian of the Circle, and I have sworn to protect every magical creature that dwells in it,¡± the Count had told him. ¡°I will not let anyone harm you, but I need you, in return, to do me a great favor for which you will be generously rewarded. It is about my daughter.¡±


    That clumsy wizard, Leander, would take care of creating a seal on Sila''s cage to get out of it at the most convenient time. In turn, the Count had told Silas that, if he did not want to return to the mountains, he could offer him an escape through the islands, towards the territory of the League of Pirates, where no wizards lived.


    ¡°So you see,¡± continued Silas. ¡°It was never necessary for you to rescue me. All this time, ever since you ran away from the castle, you''ve done nothing but make a fool of yourself.¡±


    Olivia felt cold all over her body.


    ¡°You''re lying.¡±


    ¡°Is your father not an honorable man? Did you really think he could hurt me?¡±


    She swallowed hard. Her father might have many faults but cruelty was not one of them. Every wrong decision he''d made was based on the belief that it would protect his loved ones. In truth, it had been Eldrin who had convinced her. Eldrin had wanted to take her away from her father and had made her believe the worst about him.


    ¡°But you... you agreed...¡±


    ¡°I changed my mind. It seemed to me that it would be simpler to leave with you but... perhaps I should have returned to the castle. Your father would have taken better care of the matter.¡±


    In contrast Olivia now felt a warmth inside her awakening.


    ¡°You fooled us both then,¡± she said. ¡°Congratulations, as a human you have truly excelled yourself.¡±


    A fire was lit in Silas'' eyes.


    ¡°I''m not human!¡±


    ¡°At the moment you look very much like one! And I know what I''m talking about! And I must tell you... my father''s plan is the dumbest thing I''ve ever heard! There was no guarantee that it would work!¡±


    ¡°It would have been preferable to be in this pathetic situation!¡±


    ¡°Like it or not I did rescue you from making the worst mistake of your life!¡±


    ¡°Stupid human!¡±


    ¡°You insufferable chimera!¡±


    ¡°I hate you!¡±


    ¡°I hate you too! I hate you like I''ve never hated anyone! I wish I''d never met you! You''re right! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!¡±


    At that moment, Olivia heard a clap of thunder and everything went white as if the sun itself had come down to earth and swallowed her whole in one bite. The last thing she managed to see was Silas'' unfocused gaze.


    Fear came over her.


    ¡°No, no! Who are you? Let me go! Don''t do anything to Silas! He didn''t do anything to me! Leave him alone! You don''t gain anything by hurting him!¡±


    No one answered. Olivia continued to scream at the top of her lungs, not knowing how much time passed as she remained floating in the middle of nothingness itself.


    Then suddenly a shadow began to form above her and spread until it swallowed all the light.


    Her eyelids felt heavy. As she moved her hands, she felt the wetness of the grass.


    A sky of orange and pink colors loomed above her. The sun had set behind the horizon.


    When she sat up and looked around, she found Silas leaning against the tree trunk and breathing heavily as if something had frightened him.


    ¡°Silas...¡± groaned Olivia as she stood up feeling her body in pain. ¡°I don''t know what happened to me...¡±


    ¡°Stay away from me!¡±


    She looked at him confused.


    ¡°I...¡± suddenly she remembered the whiteness that had engulfed her. ¡°I don''t know what happened... I''m sorry! If I did something to you...¡± she came closer to him to make sure he wasn''t hurt, but he pulled away.


    ¡°Don''t touch me!¡± he screamed.


    Seeing the horror reflected in his eyes, Olivia felt like crying but tried to hold back.


    ¡°I can''t control it!¡± she exclaimed.


    ¡°I think you can control it! You just wanted to scare me... Well, congratulations, you did it. Thank you for reminding me what my ancestors felt when they were hunted.¡±


    ¡°Silas... please... what did I do? Tell me, please!¡±


    ¡°Look around you.¡±


    Olivia turned her head to the side and her shock was such that her feet buckled and she fell back to the ground.


    On the grass, lay the three siblings, Celestia, Elyssa and Alder, completely motionless and with their eyes closed.

 Chapter 42 - The suspicions

    Olivia didn''t know for how long she stared at the three bodies lying on the grass without daring to move as the sun finished setting and left behind a dark pink blanket.


    Ever since the disaster at the lake, which had almost ended with Mantok''s life, she had been haunted by the fear that one day she would commit the unthinkable without being able to do anything to stop it. And now this had materialized in the figure of those three young people, for whom magical creatures were nothing more than a distant dream and whose only mistake had been to become friends with her, totally unaware of what that could entail.


    Olivia and Silas should never have joined the group. They should have left on their own the moment Dawn had decided to communicate with her. In the end, it was just as Daephennya had wanted: a weapon that could go out of control at any moment.She thought she had time, that she could solve it on her own, that it was just a matter of knowing how to control her own thoughts, but she had been wrong. She had acted irresponsibly and now the consequences lay before her.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± said a voice. ¡°They''re just sleeping.¡±


    Olivia took a moment to react before turning her head to Silas.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    He frowned.


    ¡°I didn''t say anything.¡±


    ¡°But someone just said...¡± Olivia swallowed, and crawled over to Elyssa first. The girl was as petrified as stone, but when Olivia placed a hand very close to her face without touching her, she felt the slight caress of her slow, deep breathing.


    She took a deep breath in like someone coming up to the surface and immediately did the same with Alder and Celestia.


    Like their sister, their breathing was barely perceptible, but they were indeed alive.


    She had not killed them.


    But then relief gave way to fury.


    ¡°You made me believe they were dead!¡± she shouted at Silas.


    He, still leaning against the tree with his arms crossed, let out an exhalation.


    ¡°I never told you they were dead.¡±


    ¡°¡±But you didn''t say otherwise either!¡±


    He shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°After what you did to me, it was the least I could do.¡±


    Despite the recent shock, Olivia was assaulted by a killer instinct that drove her to throttle his neck.


    ¡°What possible evil could I have done to you to punish me like this?¡±


    ¡°You know very well what I mean.¡±


    Olivia''s fingers twitched like claws, ready to pounce on him.


    ¡°No, I don''t know! Do you think if I remembered anything I would have spent all this time grieving?¡±


    He looked at her a little uncomfortably as if he wanted to move away but his pride prevented him from doing so.


    ¡°If you must know, you made me float in the air and almost dismembered me, but those three just showed up and you knocked them out with one move.¡±


    Olivia took a deep breath trying to calm down. What he had done was low, but it was understandable that he reacted that way after she, or, in fact the witch who supposedly possessed her, had tried to hurt him.


    ¡°True, that was the actual order of events,¡± the voice suddenly said, ¡°but the part where I almost dismembered him is a bit of an exaggeration.¡±


    ¡°Who is talking?¡±


    Silas looked back at her quizzically.


    ¡°There''s no one here except us and those three.¡±


    Olivia finally understood what was going on and approached the riverbank. Despite the dim light of the sunset it was still possible to see her darkened reflection.


    But it was not her face that she encountered. Among the trembling ripples of the water, a dark-skinned girl with flower-adorned hair was looking at her smiling.


    ¡°Hello!¡± said the witch.


    ¡°You are not Dawn.¡±


    The girl shook her head.


    ¡°Nope, I''m Clover.¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± Silas had taken his place next to her and was looking at the water with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°Can''t you see her?¡± Olivia asked.


    ¡°See who? You''re talking to the water alone.¡±


    ¡°He can''t see or hear me,¡± said Clover. ¡°I can only talk to you.¡±


    ¡°Why did you hurt him?¡± Olivia''s voice took on an accusatory tone.


    ¡°Hurt him?¡± Clover giggled. ¡°It''s true that I scared him and shook him a little in the air, but I never did anything to hurt him. He''s a crybaby. But I did have to put your other friends to sleep. By the time I realized they were around, it was too late. They''ll wake up any minute and have forgotten what they saw. Maybe I overdid it but it''s nothing more than a very deep sleep.¡±


    ¡°You didn''t have to do any of that.¡±


    Clover wrinkled his lips.


    ¡°He was being very cruel to you. I had to teach him a lesson. After saving him from the water he should feel grateful.¡±


    ¡°Was it you who helped me save him?¡±


    ¡°Who saved me?¡± asked Silas, visibly annoyed at being left out of the conversation.


    ¡°Well, of course,¡± said the witch proudly raising her chin.


    ¡°I thank you very much then, but for the future I don''t need you to defend me from him.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, what is that witch saying about me?¡± Sila brought his face close to the water to the point of almost falling into the river.


    ¡°She says you''re lying, and that she didn''t do you any harm,¡± Olivia repeated.


    ¡°She''s the one who''s lying!¡±


    Olivia thought that might also be a possibility, since she was not yet willing to trust those magic beings completely, although she wasn''t sure who she should believe either. Whether the witch or the chimera.


    ¡°Are you going to believe this arrogant chimera who belittled you?¡± Clover reproached her. ¡°After all we''ve helped you?¡±


    ¡°What lie is she telling you now?¡± asked Silas.


    ¡°Liar...¡± replied Clover in a singsong voice. ¡°Chimera liar.¡±


    The young girl felt ridiculous having an argument between two people who couldn''t even hear each other, so she changed the subject.


    ¡°I never asked for your help,¡± she said to the witch.


    ¡°We witches have to take care of each other,¡± Clover insisted.


    ¡°What about the lake? Was that to protect me?¡±


    ¡°Ah... that...¡± she looked ashamed, although in her eyes there was still a hint of mischief. ¡°That was an extreme measure... someone had to break the seal. Besides, we didn''t kill anyone... and we took care of the wizards who wanted to capture you.¡±


    ¡°And the promontory?¡±


    ¡°The promontory,¡± Clover''s voice denoted contempt. ¡°You have no idea of anything.¡±


    ¡°Because you don''t tell me anything!¡±


    ¡°We have a reason for that... All you need to know is that we''re looking out for you. We''re not your enemy. Quite the opposite.¡±


    ¡°But Daephennya...¡±


    ¡°Daephennya is no match for any of us.¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me that witches are more powerful than elves?¡±


    Beside her, she felt Silas stiffen.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I''ve already told you too much, and I hear someone approaching.¡±


    That said, Clover''s reflection disappeared from the water giving way to Olivia''s confused face.


    In the distance, several screams could be heard approaching. It was Deema and Gorwan, accompanied by other members of the group, who were looking for them.


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    ¡°Ah, there they are!¡± exclaimed Deema relieved, but when she found her three children asleep on the grass her expression changed to a cautious one. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± Olivia took a moment to think of an excuse. ¡°They wanted to wait to see the starry sky, but they ended up falling asleep.¡±


    ¡°All three at the same time?¡± Gorwan asked scratching his head.


    Deema walked over to her children and began to shake them. Olivia''s heart started pumping hard. Gorwan also went over to wake them up but it took several attempts before they began to react.


    ¡°By the Nymph,¡± sighed Deema, running a hand over her forehead. ¡°Such a deep sleep. What happened to you?¡±


    ¡°Uh...¡± Alder straightened up, ¡°Is it dark already? But...¡±


    The three siblings felt disoriented. They did not understand what had happened. They had run into Olivia and Silas and suddenly everything had gone dark.


    Trying not to let her guilt creep into her words, Olivia repeated again what she had told Deema. She looked to Silas for help, and he merely confirmed what she just had said.


    They all went back to the camp and the rest of the night continued without any further surprises. Olivia could breathe easy now that she had made sure that none of the three siblings remembered anything, but a new anxiety began to well up in her as they sat eating dinner around the campfire and her eyes met Deema''s who watched her silently.


    Four more days passed until they reached the next town. During that time, Olivia and Silas tried to avoid each other as much as possible. They were both still angry about every word they had exchanged that afternoon. Now, when Silas wandered away from the camp for a while, she didn''t follow him again. She feared that he would do something crazy while trying to transform, but she couldn''t risk getting upset again and let another of the witches intervene.


    To the rest of the group, it looked like they had ended their relationship. Celestia and Elyssa began to comfort Olivia when she insisted that she didn''t want to talk about it no matter how much they asked. Alder also went over to talk to her, initiating his attempts at courtship. However, even if Olivia had felt something for him, which she didn''t, she wouldn''t have had the heart to get his hopes up. A human like him couldn''t expect anything good relating to her. None of them really.


    Deema also seemed to think the same way, since every time she found Alder and Olivia alone, the woman would ask his son for some special task. Both she and Gorwan were still treating them kindly, but after the strange event by the river, both must have thought that something strange was happening with the new members of the group. Olivia tried to reassure herself that it must be the protective instinct that every parent feels for their children, something she knew more than well.


    The girl couldn''t wait to reach the town, since once there everyone would stop worrying about them and the main focus would be on the preparations for the first show of the evening. She decided that this time her participation would take a back seat as she did not feel like having fun anymore.


    The first thing she would do was buy a map. She hadn''t wanted to ask the actors for it because she wanted to avoid them continuing to ask her questions about her future plans, but, just before leaving the first village, Gorwan had given both Silas and Olivia a couple of coins as payment for their work.


    Despite the fact that she had lived in a castle with every possible luxury, she couldn''t help but feel proud. Silas, on the other hand, looked at the coins as if he were looking at a couple of stones he had picked up from the road and handed them to Olivia. He wanted nothing to do with human currency, and she understood his natural lack of interest.


    So now she had in her possession a small fortune, although, to be honest, she had no idea of the real value of those coins. There was a possibility that they were not enough to buy a map, or even a piece of parchment, but she could not ask anyone because more suspicion would fall on them.


    While she was planning a visit to the market, which she would carry out alone, the wagon in which they were traveling came to a sudden stop at the entrance to the town. Both she and her companions stuck their heads out of the vehicle and found a group of soldiers guarding the place.


    One of them approached and began to question Gorwan about the reason for their visit.


    ¡°That''s odd,¡± muttered Elyssa, sitting next to Olivia. ¡°This has never happened to us the previous times we''ve been here.¡±


    ¡°There are even a couple of wizards nearby,¡± commented Alder.


    ¡°Wizards?¡± Olivia had to stifle a jump and turned her eyes to meet the inscrutable gaze of Silas who put a hand to his chest where the talisman should be.


    The young people inside the wagon remained attentive listening to the words of Gorwan who was explaining to the soldiers that they were nothing more than actors who, like every year, visited the town to perform their plays.


    ¡°Ah, yes, of course!¡± exclaimed one of the soldiers. ¡°I always go to the square to see their plays with my family. They are honest and very funny people, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Anyway,¡± replied another soldier sternly. ¡°We can''t let you pass until you''ve been inspected by the wizards.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Celestia and Elyssa looked at each other.


    Hearing that, Alder frowned, and was the first to jump out of the wagon. The others followed him.


    Silas and Olivia were the last to get off and stood next to the rest of the actors who had formed a line as two middle-aged wizards in red tunics held up their hands spinning them in front of them. By the way they wiggled their fingers, Olivia knew they were assessing each other''s magical power and a shiver ran through her body.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± said one of the wizards as he broke away from Gorwan. ¡°Do any of your companions possess magical abilities?¡±


    ¡°Magic?¡± laughed Gorwan scratching his head. ¡°No, no magic... unless you mean this.¡±


    Gorwan brought a hand up to the wizard''s ear. Then withdrew it and showed him a coin.The wizard looked at him irritated and did not bother to respond as he continued with his task.


    The time it took the two men to approach her seemed like an eternity. In all that while she had been trying to take deep breaths to relieve her anxiety, but also in a way that wasn''t obvious. The sun''s rays hit her hard and she felt beads of sweat trickling down her back. She dared not look at Silas.


    The worst that could happen was that Clover, Dawn or any of the other witches decided to manifest themselves right at that moment. That could perhaps save them from those two wizards, but from then on they would be persecuted, not only by them but by the entire Council.


    As she was getting the idea that all was lost, one of the wizards finally reached her and raised his hand in front of her chest. The man''s gaze, at first indifferent, became curious. When she saw his eyes narrow, Olivia thought she was about to faint or, worse, lose consciousness so that a witch could take her place.


    ¡°Young girl, I think you should abandon the group,¡± said the wizard, lowering his hand.


    Olivia''s breath caught. She could already feel the darkness looming over her.


    ¡°W... w... w... why?¡± the words stuck in her throat.


    The wizard pursed his lips.


    ¡°I sense some magic in you. Perhaps you have enough to become an Initiate.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± Olivia breathed again. Despite everything that had happened, it seemed that her body still resembled that of a human, even if it was on the surface. Those wizards must not have known how to manifest the Codes any more than Eldrin or Leander did, otherwise they would have discovered her right away. Due to her growing concern, she had forgotten that many Masters lacking the sufficient level to integrate an Order of Magic were appointed to work in small villages where advanced skills were not required.


    ¡°With the help of a good Master you might be able to get a good position someday,¡± the wizard continued.


    ¡°Ah... but... I like being an actress,¡± Olivia replied, feigning shyness.


    The wizard raised his eyebrows a little disgruntled.


    ¡°That''s a pity. Think about it. If you change your mind you can meet me at the Town Hall. I know some people at the Council. We could come to an arrangement between you and me.¡±


    A sudden disgust came over her as she imagined what the wizard meant to imply with those words but she managed to restrain herself.


    ¡°Thank you, I''m flattered, I''ll keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°Don''t think you''re such a big deal,¡± the wizard warned her. ¡°You''re already quite old, it will be difficult for you to start... but... with a good hand...¡± he licked his lips.


    Olivia was tempted to respond in a scathing manner, but remembered in time that she was no longer a noblewoman.


    Suddenly, she felt an arm rest on her shoulders. Turning her head she found herself very close to Silas'' cheek to the point that her lips were as close as if she was about to kiss him. She felt the warmth rise up her neck and turned her head in the opposite direction, though without breaking away from him.


    Silas even pulled her closer to him as he spoke to the wizard.


    ¡°She already told you she doesn''t want to be a wizard.¡±


    Olivia panicked. The calmness she had felt when she found out that the wizard wasn''t capable of discovering her hidden power vanished as soon as Silas said those words. How could he be so oblivious and just when they were standing in front of a wizard?


    The man gave him a contemptuous look and raised his hand in front of Silas.


    ¡°If I may,¡± he said, gesturing with his head for the boy to separate from Olivia.


    Silas, reluctantly, or so it seemed to Olivia, separated from her and made a defiant gesture to the wizard.


    Stupid chimera, stupid chimera, he was going to be the downfall of them both.


    ¡°Damn, boy,¡± said the wizard with satisfaction after a moment. ¡°I don''t feel even a hint of magical power in you. It''s a good thing you decided to be an actor because you wouldn''t have stood a chance of reaching the Initiate level.¡±


    Olivia couldn''t believe it but the wizard was trying to make Silas feel inferior because of his supposed lack of power.


    Humans, Eldrin had once explained to her, though far inferior to magical beings, having been created from the remains of the giant Yorgad, blessed with the blood of the Nymph Nemertyss, held in their Code a tiny bit of magical power that allowed them to use magic to some extent. In reality, there were very few, though not rare, humans who lacked this attribute that could only be developed with proper training.


    The talisman created by Dawn seemed to be much more powerful than they had initially thought, and Olivia thanked the witch silently hoping that she could somehow sense it. If only she could talk to her again sometime, she had been the only one willing to tell her something about her true origins.


    Silas, still staring at the wizard, did not respond to the provocation and the man walked away from them, but not without saying something else to Olivia.


    ¡°If you change your mind, you''ll find me at the Town Hall, though I don''t know, maybe I''ll go see your acting,¡± the wizard bit his lips and Olivia felt her stomach churn. She could have thrown up her breakfast right there.


    Now she was more than sure she wouldn''t perform anymore, at least in that town.


    ¡°What a disgusting man,¡± Elyssa said once they were back in the wagon, which continued to rattle through the narrow streets of the town. ¡°Wizards are usually quite arrogant. I''ve never liked them.¡±


    Silas, folding his arms, nodded in agreement.


    The whole group had witnessed the scene with revulsion, but no one except him had dared to confront the wizard.


    ¡°Good thing Silas was there to protect you, Olivia,¡± commented Celestia with a mischievous smile and this time Silas looked away.


    The other one who did not look happy was Alder who also folded his arms and stayed in the same position until they reached the square.


    Like the previous time, the first thing they did was to look for an inn with available rooms and then have something to eat before starting with the stage preparation. Once everyone was seated around the table with their dishes served, Gorwan took the opportunity to ask the innkeeper about the unusual vigilance at the entrance to the town. Everyone turned in the man''s direction waiting for his answer.


    ¡°You know how wizards are,¡± the innkeeper mumbled. ¡°They are never willing to spill the truth... but... a few days ago one of them went to drink at the tavern and got so drunk that he was convinced by the other customers to disclose something...¡±


    It had all started just a couple of days ago after some wizards who were traveling around perceived some kind of strange energy that they could not identify. Apparently it had been something so fast that it was impossible for them to identify in time the place where it came from. After that, they sent a warning to all the neighboring towns to be on alert and to control the movements of all the travelers.


    ¡°I don''t know if it''s true or just pure fantasy,¡± the innkeeper added. ¡°But after everything that happened at the lake...¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes, terrible, terrible,¡± lamented Deema who had heard about the tragic event shortly after Silas and Olivia joined them. ¡°I have a couple of cousins who go there every year. I have written to them to see how they are doing but have received no reply.¡±


    ¡°They should be fine, apparently there weren''t many human wounded. The worst part was taken by the sirenians.¡±


    ¡°It''s unbelievable,¡± sighed one of the actresses. ¡°I can''t believe they were wizards. What will happen to us ordinary mortals if they decide to take control of the kingdom?¡±


    ¡°We''ll go pray to the Nymph as soon as we can,¡± said Deema. ¡°She will protect us. It has been a long time since we have visited the temple. Because of all our hard work, we have neglected our spiritual duties.¡±


    The rest of the group agreed and continued with the meal. From there the topic of conversation turned to the list of tasks that needed to be done to get everything ready for the first performance.


    Olivia tried to eat but her stomach still felt upset and it wasn''t because of the interest that repulsive wizard had taken in her.


    At some point she looked in the direction of Silas on the other side of the table. He barely looked at her for a moment, but it was enough to see the same concern reflected in his eyes.

 Chapter 43 - The help

    ¡°This is all your fault,¡± Silas told her as soon as they managed to be alone in one of the rooms of the inn.


    ¡°My fault?¡± Olivia protested, although deep down she understood what he meant.


    ¡°Yours and your friend''s.¡±


    ¡°She''s not my friend!¡±


    ¡°Well, you seemed very comfortable talking to each other while leaving me out of the conversation.¡±


    ¡°I have no control over what''s happening to me, Silas! You think I don''t understand you but I really do. Since we left the lake I understand very well what it''s like to lose control of my body. It''s you who doesn''t understand me.¡±


    Silas sat on the edge of a bed and frowned even more thoughtfully. It seemed as if the idea that they had something in common also bothered him. There was no way to please him, Olivia thought.


    ¡°So... you and I...¡± as she said this she felt uncomfortable but she needed to ask him. ¡°Are we good?¡±


    Silas avoided her gaze, but this time he answered.


    ¡°Yes, we''re good," he grunted.¡±


    Olivia sighed in relief that at least they had made peace.


    ¡°Don''t lose hope, Silas, we''re so close.¡±


    ¡°What if the wizard is right?¡± he asked suddenly.


    It took Olivia a while to understand that he was referring to the absence of magical power in his body.


    ¡°Of course not, it must have been the talisman,¡± she was convinced of that.


    ¡°What if it wasn''t the talisman, what if the sirenians played a trick on me just to take away my power?¡±


    ¡°Don''t be silly. The sirenians are not that powerful,¡± or so she thought, ¡°and I don''t think they had bad intentions.¡±


    Silas was not convinced.


    ¡°I only know that they weren''t very pleased to help me.¡±


    ¡°But in the end they did.¡±


    ¡°Thalassa told me something but I don''t know what to believe anymore.¡±


    ¡°What did she tell you?¡±


    Silas then went on to explain about the knot that the sirenian had mentioned to him, and that was apparently preventing him from controlling his transformations.


    ¡°A knot... Maybe that''s it,¡± the only thing Olivia knew about knots was that they consisted of an obstruction in the channels through which magical energy flowed. The existence of a knot could mean that the carrier suffered weakening, pain or an imbalance as seemed to be the case with Silas


    ¡°Is that real?¡± Silas asked when she told him what she knew.


    ¡°Yes. Even wizards can be affected by one.¡±


    ¡°Does it have a cure?¡±


    ¡°Yes... but...¡±


    ¡°Is it something like a seal?¡± insisted Silas whose voice seemed to mix relief and anxiety.


    ¡°No, the seals can be removed by the carrier himself if he had enough power or by another wizard or magical being who could decode the mechanism. A knot... is a bit more complex... It''s not something that can be removed...¡±


    Silas looked at her suspiciously.


    ¡°But you said...¡±


    ¡°A seal is like a foreign object inside the carrier... but a knot is part of the Code. It is your own power that has bound itself. You cannot remove it... but untie it... and by your own means.Olivia bit her lips as she watched the gleam in Silas'' eyes seem to fade.¡±


    ¡°Only I can untie the knot... as Thalassa said.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°What should I do?¡±


    Olivia swallowed.


    ¡°Ah... well... I don''t know... I never got to study the techniques... it wasn''t something I was interested in at the time. Besides, Eldrin...¡±


    He lowered his head and shook it.


    ¡°I figured as much but I had to ask.¡±


    Seeing him like this Olivia was flooded with renewed determination. She rested her hands on his shoulders so that their faces were very close when she spoke to him.


    ¡°I can''t help you untie the knot but I''m not going to let you give up, do you hear me? We''ll get to the island any way we can. I promise you.¡±


    He stirred uncomfortably as he felt her hands on him and, Olivia, becoming aware of the closeness between their bodies, suddenly released him.


    At some point she had wanted to ask him why he had reacted to the wizard in that way when he put his arm around her shoulders in such a possessive gesture, but then dismissed it, thinking that he had only wanted to make the man angry. The same thing had happened when they danced together. They were only pretending because she had put him in that situation by telling everyone they had eloped together.


    Once the discussion was over, they both agreed to act more cautiously, so from that day on Olivia refused to participate in the plays, using as an excuse the discomfort she felt at the idea of being watched from the audience by that wizard who had behaved so disgustingly towards her.


    Elyssa and Celestia did not hide their discontent. That was part of their job, they could not avoid the men''s thoughts, and if any of them upset any member of the group, as had already happened thousands of times, they could beat them or ask for help.


    But she stood her ground, and their protests were of no avail. Finally, Deema interceded to leave her alone. If Olivia didn''t feel like acting, they couldn''t force her to, so from then on she helped with other activities such as mending costumes, something she had been learning little by little since she had never sewn a button in her life, although not without suffering a few punctures and spending some time with bandaged fingers.


    She never wandered away from the group again, she was always accompanied by someone and kept as far away from the Town Hall as possible. It was not that she was afraid of that man, but if he became too interested in her he was capable of investigating her identity, and he could end up discovering how they had come to be part of The Walking Dreamers.


    The only time she dared to go out alone was when she decided to get the map she needed so badly. The coins Gorwan had given her were enough not only for that, but also to buy a new saddlebag and a canteen. She would have liked to buy men''s clothes but that would draw too much attention, so she decided to make her own outfit from some old costumes that Alder no longer wore and that would suit her perfectly since he was not very big. She was sick of dresses. They were impractical for traveling and reminded her of her life in the castle. Her hair was growing back, perhaps faster than it should due to Daephennya''s magic, and she couldn''t wait to cut it.


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    Meanwhile, Silas continued to work with Meldo, so as not to arouse further suspicion. They had keep pretending that everything was normal for them and that the rumor of that strange energy that the wizards had perceived did not affect them in the least.


    Aside from the change in Olivia''s behavior, the group''s routine continued in a steady rhythm, very similar to the previous town. They would get up early, eat breakfast, take their walks through the market, eat lunch, prepare everything for the performances until it was time to go on stage. For somes days this went on without any further surprises. Elyssa and Celestia ended up accepting Olivia''s decision but made her promise to resume acting when they settled in the next town, which would be the last stop before Olivia and Silas continued their journey on their own to Stormbrace.In fact, both girls, as well as Alder, didn''t miss the chance to talk to Olivia again to convince her to continue traveling with them.


    ¡°Why do you want to go with that aunt of yours?¡± asked Celestia.


    ¡°How are you so sure that she will accept you in her home?¡± added Elyssa.


    Neither of them were convinced by Olivia''s alleged plans to move to Stormbrace with her relatives. It seemed like a depressing destination. The port had a reputation for being battered by severe storms and fierce winds, hence, of course, its name. It was, therefore, a grim place of dark buildings and crumbling docks, crowded with decrepit sailors, pirates and outlaws.


    Olivia was warned that she would find nothing but misery there and that if she and Silas decided to settle there they would find themselves in appalling conditions and perhaps their relationship could not survive. On the other hand, if they joined The Walking Dreamers, they were assured of fun and warmth by all its members.


    And if Silas didn''t agree, he could go to Stormbrace by himself and let Olivia go free. When they said that, Alder, who also joined them sometimes, opened his eyes like a dog waiting for a bone. He hadn''t spoken to her since everyone thought she and Silas had reconciled, which to some extent wasn''t far from the truth, though not in the way they thought.


    As they continued to describe the harbor in the worst possible way to change her mind, Olivia was becoming more and more moved by the wishes of those affectionate people she would have to leave at some point. She would have liked to tell them that they could write to each other but that constituted a vile lie. Once they parted, it was very likely that their paths would never cross again. It was for the best. Until she learned to master her power, she would be a danger to any human. She already was to Silas, and she felt guilty about it, but their fates were now intertwined in a way that there was no turning back


    Besides, she concluded, the sad reality was that she couldn''t consider them friends either. They knew nothing about her, only details she had been able to mingle among so many lies. Everything that made her who she was was hidden, partly to protect them but also to protect herself from them.


    The only one who perhaps really knew her, she realized, not without surprise, was Silas.


    Silas was her friend, although she couldn''t be sure that the feeling was mutual, and she preferred to be struck by lightning rather than ask him directly to clear the doubt. Every now and then she was overcome by a certain nostalgia for those first days walking through the forest when they were just the two of them alone with the promise of a wonderful destiny. Now she could not wait to get back on the road as they had started.


    Meanwhile, in that town the days passed in the same routine to which she had become so accustomed. They were halfway through their stay, although Olivia preferred not to count the days so as not to become even more anxious. Everything seemed to be going smoothly. They hadn''t run into the annoying wizard again, nor had they heard any more rumors about the strange energy of the last few days. The rest of the group seemed to have forgotten about it, and found themselves absorbed as usual in their own tasks.


    One afternoon, Deema asked her to accompany her to a store where they sold some special spices that she would use later to add flavor to the camp meals. It seemed to her that Olivia would want to rest a bit after spending so much work with the wardrobe that was constantly suffering from all kinds of accidents and breakages. The girl agreed and the two of them wandering for a while in the streets until they reached a place where they were greeted by an old woman who led them to a storage room.


    While Deema chatted with the woman, Olivia went ahead to browse through the barrels there. She knew nothing about cooking so everything they said held little interest for her.Their voices could still be heard behind her back when suddenly she felt as if something fell on her and crushed her to the floor. She tried to get up, but found she could not move. She screamed for help. Someone behind her grabbed her arms and positioned them behind her back to place chains around her wrists. Her breathing quickened. She could feel the pounding of her heart drumming on the stone floor.


    Someone turned her around and to her horror she found the face of the wizard who had made that outrageous proposal. To her growing disgust, he was staring at her pursing his lips like someone about to taste a feast. Olivia''s dismay worsened when she saw that Deema was standing behind him with an anguished expression and tightly clutching the bag she had brought for her groceries.


    ¡°Deema!¡± Olivia groaned as she realized she had been set up.


    She closed her eyes.


    ¡°I can''t say I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to do this but...¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± that question sounded almost like a sob, not because of the situation she was in, but because of the betrayal of that woman who had treated her like another one of her children.


    ¡°My children,¡± replied Deema with some harshness. ¡°You... did something to them that night.... Mothers know when something is not right.... Maybe you didn''t hurt them but something strange happened.... Their condition was not normal... Later I found out about that strange energy.... I estimated the days and guessed it might have been that same night you knocked them out.... Besides... your story... everything fits...¡±


    ¡°No, Deema, no...¡±


    ¡°It can''t be a coincidence... Besides, this man... he said that...¡±


    ¡°Other reports have come in,¡± the wizard interrupted her. ¡°Not only from this area, but also from the gulf, not so far from Misty Dream, just where this woman told me she found you and that pathetic boy with no magic lying on the beach as if you had suffered a shipwreck.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Olivia raised her voice, trying to hide her panic.


    ¡°And what a coincidence that a few days before that, the lake attack happened,¡± the wizard continued. ¡°They also told me that you don''t look like a commoner, besides the fact that your magical power is somewhat higher than normal.¡±


    ¡°Olivia... you... Are you running away from the Council? Did you have anything to do with what happened at the lake?¡± with each word Deema sounded even more desperate until the last question sounded like an affirmation. ¡°You attacked all those people too!¡±


    ¡°No, I didn''t!¡± Olivia''s eyes flooded with tears of guilt. ¡°I didn''t do it. I didn''t do it. I didn''t do it.¡±


    Rather than telling that to Deema, she seemed to be telling it to herself.


    ¡°We rescued you, we fed you, you traveled with us, we gave you our food, we let you be a part of our plays, you became friends with my children... and all this time... you and that... whatever he is... you were deceiving us... All this time thinking that you were an innocent girl blinded by love and in reality...¡± Deema pressed her lips together tightly.


    The wizard turned to her.


    ¡°A regrettable situation. Your services will be rewarded.¡±


    ¡°Just take them away from my family.¡±


    ¡°Silas! Where is Silas?¡±, shouted Olivia.


    ¡°Gorwan and Meldo have already taken care of him,¡± Deema replied and turned to leave.


    ¡°No, no! It''s not like you think, Deema! Don''t go! I didn''t mean to trick you!¡± Olivia was crying on her back on the floor, feeling that the tears could drown her. The wizard made her get up, and she began to shake violently to try to kick him.


    ¡°As you have noticed,¡± said the wizard. ¡°I have put magical nullification chains on you. It''s no use resisting.¡±


    Olivia hadn''t even tried to use magic because she had no idea how to do it in those situations. She was a pathetic wizard. Since she had left the castle she had done nothing but receive help. Eldrin removed the shields, Barthra and the Elementals kept her away from the soldiers, Daephennya helped her hide with another face, her father made her safe from the wizards, Numi gave her the chance to travel along with Silas, and the actors allowed them to travel with them.


    She had done nothing, just as she could do nothing now.


    At least, on her own.


    ¡°Please,¡± whispered Olivia.


    ¡°It''s no use,¡± said the wizard thinking she was talking to him.


    ¡°Help, please.¡±


    ¡°Help?¡± laughed the wizard. ¡°Well, if you ask me like this... maybe we can come to an agreement before the Control Division comes looking for you. I hear they''re a scary bunch...¡±


    ¡°Help, please.¡±


    ¡°I''m afraid I''ll have to shut you up, I can''t risk anyone listening to you," the wizard, ran his fingers over Olivia''s lips, which magically closed as if someone had sewn them together.


    Help, help, help, help, help, Olivia begged to herself as the wizard dragged her out of the shop and into a wagon.


    ¡°Now you want help?¡± a deep voice asked.


    Olivia''s heart stopped. She recognized that voice. It was neither Dawn nor Clover.


    Yes, I need help. I have to save Silas.


    ¡°You know who I am, don''t you?¡± the voice asked.


    Yes, Olivia knew who she was.


    You''re the one who attacked the lake.


    ¡°And you still want my help?¡±


    Maybe Clover or Dawn...


    ¡°They''re not here now, only me. Spark. I''m the only one who can help you right now. I''m asking you again. Do you want my help?¡±


    Yes.


    ¡°There is something you must know first. Something the others haven''t told you. Every time we use your body a part of it is consumed. That''s why you lose consciousness, and if one of us overdoes it, you can even die.¡±


    You didn''t ask my permission the first time.


    ¡°As you know, I don''t have much patience. Knowing this, do you want to...?¡±


    I said yes.


    ¡°You''re not very patient either,¡± Olivia couldn''t see her face, but it seemed to her that the witch was smiling as her consciousness was dissolving into the blackness of a starless night.

 Chapter 44 - The trace

    Though Rovenna was forced to relive the mortifying experience of riding horses for most of the day, as soon as her entourage began to leave the castle behind, she felt relieved at the thought of returning to her beloved, sunny Nemertya where her home, her books and her tea awaited her. She was even willing, if possible, to take a few days of well-deserved rest for having successfully completed the not so easy task of convincing that big-headed man, who called himself Guardian of the Circle, to reinstate the Order of Shadowrock.


    As soon as she had obtained confirmation, without wasting any more time she communicated the news to Theo through the elven mirror: he had ten days to select the candidates who would become his own subordinates once he had assumed his new position as Master Leader of the Order. And once Rovenna finally arrived in the capital the new Order would set out on its journey to the south.


    From the mirror, the transfixed wizard looked at her with his lips parted as if he wanted to say something but the breath had left him. He had never expected it. In all that time he had worked for Rovenna, she had not made him any promises of promotion. However, the surprise was followed by some objections, as was to be expected. Theo did not understand why she had to send him so far away from Nemertya to a place that had no connection to him.


    Precisely, Rovenna had explained to him that this was the perfect opportunity to recruit as many wizards of commoner origin as he wanted, not only Masters, but also Acolytes and Initiates who would be trained by him himself. Away from the control of the Conclave and under the wing of the Count of Shadowrock, who in turn was in strained relations with the royal power, Theo would be free to make his own decisions as long as they aligned with Rovenna''s plans, of course.


    In the face of this, the young Master could not object. Rovenna was offering him, to a certain extent, what he had desired for so long.


    There was nothing more pleasurable for the Master Arcanist than to shut everyone''s mouth especially when it came to subordinates who did not hesitate to question her decisions. As Fidelia had done so many times.


    Ah, Fidelia. It had not been among Rovenna''s plans to send her to the mountains but that turn of events would be good for her, and, besides, someone had to ensure that Myrius did not commit any recklessness. If the situation were different, Fidelia would be the leader of the expedition, but her seal left that out of the question. Still, her former ward would know how to handle it. She had already proved it by uncovering the mystery of the Elementals and playing a crucial role in the capture of the traitors. And all without being able to use magic. Too bad no one but the people involved were aware of all that.


    Rovenna had not yet lost hope in her, but neither was she willing to make things easy for Fidelia. She had already proven that she still kept her integrity by not abandoning her team to head for the island. Now the time had come to earn absolution.


    The other good news was that Eldrin Caedos, who in a matter of days would be found and brought before the High Arcane Tribunal to answer for his crimes, was out of the way. Zoran had chosen several wizards from the Control Division to immediately head out in pursuit of him. It was ironic to Rovenna that the vengeance she had once craved to consume was now being handed to her on a platter by him, and it hadn''t even been required to plan a conspiracy. He had ruined himself.


    Though that no longer mattered to her. The old grudges of the past had been extinguished, and after so many years all Rovenna could feel now for the wizard was uncaring pity. To think that he had been on the verge of taking her seat and now found himself being pursued by the very Council he had dreamed of presiding over.


    Time was a whirlwind that could throw you into the most unthinkable places.


    However, all that story about the chimera...


    Rovenna still suspected that there was something else that the count had not confessed to her, but as a concession of their new alliance she had let it slip.


    But doubt lingered in her mind. If Eldrin wanted to marry off Lady Olivia at any cost, why had he not turned to the royal family when the king would have no impediment in forcing the count to do his bidding? It was highly unlikely that the count would risk armed conflict, or so she would have thought before she discovered what was cooking in the Shadowrock experiment tower.


    Behind all that, though, lay a far more crucial question: why were several players on the board so obsessed with a powerless girl whose alliance with the prince would bring nothing but political headaches?


    The path was strewn with traps, and Rovenna would have to move much more cautiously than usual. The mere fact that she was now concealing the existence of both the chimera and the arcanio made her worthy of a nullification seal as much or perhaps even more than Fidelia. It was a clear betrayal of the Conclave that if discovered would mean immediate death.


    But unlike her, Rovenna would not let herself be caught so easily, not when something far greater than her position as Master Arcanist was at stake. Even her own life meant nothing compared to the disaster that was advancing towards Terrarkana like a giant wave, sighted in the distance, from which one tries to run thinking that there is still a chance for salvation.


    Someone else would deal with Eldrin Caedos. He had long since ceased to be a match for her.


    For, in truth, her real opponent was galloping not far behind her.


    She and Zoran hadn''t had much occasion to talk while he was busy inflicting torture that had done little to find the truth... or so he thought. The traitors kept moaning that there was a chimera on the loose in the kingdom, but the Leader of Control was unwilling to believe such nonsense. The chimeras had taken refuge in the Roaring Mountains like the cowardly beings they were, and posed no threat to the wizards.


    Rovenna could not predict when but someday the arrogance of the wizards would be their own undoing, though she herself was not one to condemn them.


    At least Zoran was so busy with the idea of capturing Eldrin that he had forgotten about the matter of the disbanded Order of Shadowrock, leaving Theo a free hand. Rovenna couldn''t help but smile thinking about how the young plebeian and the count, two men of very different backgrounds and ideas, would have to deal with each other. Too bad she couldn''t be there to witness it.


    But now she had to focus on how to survive that unbearable journey. Only two days had passed since they had crossed the gates of the castle, and already, since the first day, a burning pain pierced her whole body and every now and then she felt the desire to jump off the horse and let herself be crushed to death by its hooves, although this time the idea of seeing herself again in Nemertya in a few days helped her to bear it all.


    That illusion vanished on the third morning. As they were about to set out as soon as the first rays of sunlight appeared, a messenger galloped towards them. After bowing his head, the man handed the parchment to the Master Arcanist, who already feared that something serious had happened in Nemertya, although she doubted it since every night she went away from the camp so that Theo could keep her abreast of the progress in his selection of aspirants. Apparently everything was going smoothly.


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    However, as she finished reading the parchment, she wished it had been the opposite.


    The report the messenger gave her spoke of strange energy fluctuations that had occurred in the gulf, some distance from Misty Dream, and another second episode occurred on the way between two towns on the eastern fringe.


    A suspicion struck her like a bolt of lightning, and her body stiffened even more.


    If the Count had not lied to her, Olivia and the chimera were heading east.


    But they were supposed to be traveling by sea, unless some mishap had befallen them along the way and they were forced to continue by land.


    It was too much of a coincidence but in view of the events of the last few days she could leave nothing to chance when so much was at stake. Even Jasper Bloom could be involved in all that, although that did not explain the second episode that had occurred far from the coast.


    She had no choice. Nemertya would have to wait. Even if it was nothing more than hearsay from wizards who had nothing better to do in those tedious little towns, she couldn''t rest easy until she could verify it for herself. The only thing she truly regretted was that she was forced to continue riding and sleeping outdoors.


    She passed the parchment to Zoran.


    ¡°I must head east,¡± she informed him. ¡°I will take some wizards with me, and you will continue with the rest to Nemertya.


    Zoran''s eyes grew darker than they already were.


    ¡°If my superior allows me,¡± he said scrunching the parchment, and avoiding the discomfort he felt from calling her Master Arcanist. ¡°I don''t see the need for you to take care of the matter yourself. It would be a waste of your valuable time that you should use to deal with more important matters in Nemertya. It is up to the Control Division to deal with these suspicions.¡±


    Under normal circumstances, even Rovenna would have agreed with him. Besides, she was not happy about the idea of him returning to the Council on his own while she was absent from her post, but there was nothing to be done. Theo would keep an eye on him even though he was already carrying enough on his shoulders. But, well, if the boy was willing to become Master Leader, he''d better get used to the weight of the duties that awaited him.


    ¡°Maybe so. But if this were to be related to the attack on the lake, then all the more reason for the Master Arcanist to be involved,¡± she answered, emphasizing the last words. ¡°Your duty now is to escort the traitors. It is not a request. It is an order.¡±


    Zoran did not like to be left aside just like that, and raising his voice he began to complain.


    ¡°If it''s Eldrin Caedos all the more reason...¡±


    ¡°Zoran Wildheart!¡± she said in an authoritative voice, stopping him from continuing. ¡°Know your place. If this is Eldrin''s doing, I will be the one to deal with him. As you well know, I have done so in the past, when you were still a whining child who could not tear himself away from his mother''s skirts.¡±


    The rest of the wizards in the retinue looked at each other, some suspicious, others hiding their smirks. Rovenna knew that several of them supported Zoran''s future appointment so, as she gave them a stern look, she called out the names of those most trusted to escort her.


    Zoran held the reins so tightly in his hands that they might as well have bled at that moment.


    ¡°Still, you are not...¡±


    ¡°You are the Control Leader and as such you answer to me!¡±


    ¡°The Conclave...¡±


    ¡°You are free to go cry to the Conclave, and on the way to your mother once you reach Nemertya.¡±


    Hearing that, some of the wizards put a hand to their mouths to stifle their laughter.


    Rovenna would have wished to add that she knew very well how much he liked to brag about his family name, and that this was nothing more than a bunch of letters put together, a consolation gift the elves had given to the first wizards to make them feel important and thus earn their vassalage. But she also did not want to fan the flames any more than necessary.


    Zoran said no more and Rovenna, forgetting the pain at the pressing desire to get away from the man, broke away from the group with four other wizards who followed her at a gallop.


    The fastest way to reach the eastern fringe was to head first towards the territory belonging to a nobleman who had his own port and a ship big enough to cross the distance between one end of the gulf to the other. It took them a day to reach that point, and while they were taking control of the ship, Rovenna sent one of the wizards as an emissary to the nobleman''s castle to explain the situation. There was no time for protocols. They had to set sail as soon as possible and her authority as Master Arcanist allowed her to do as she pleased without worrying about offending the nobles.


    It was already dark when the ship stopped near the eastern fringe and, after being transferred into a smaller boat, they broke camp for an early start the next day. They were not going as fast as Rovenna would have liked and she even came to wish, to her bewilderment, that she could have counted on one of Korinna Franko''s ridiculous flying brooms. They could have used magic to travel at night, but she didn''t want to drain the horses'' energy or that of her subordinates, as they didn''t know what they might encounter.


    At a breakneck pace, taking advantage of every moment of light, it took them two more days to reach the first village and meet the wizards of the Government House. They told them that they had put all the towns in the area on alert and that many of the responses they had received coincided in that they had felt an instability of energy that had caught their attention. Some had even gone to the place where the eruption had occurred, although they did not find much. There was nothing in plain sight to indicate any strange occurrences, except for the disturbance in the Etheric Dimension that only a wizard or magical creature would be able to notice.


    Rovenna wanted to inspect the scene herself, and asked to be guided to the site. They arrived at sunset, but she did not need much time to confirm what the local wizards had told her.


    First they found the remains of a campfire that indicated that some travelers had passed that way, but that was very common, and, no matter how many people had been registered, no one had manifested enough magical power to provoke such an important instability as that one.


    Upon arriving at the river bank, Rovenna herself was surprised when she found a magical disturbance that despite the days that had passed had not yet been completely extinguished.


    As she held out her hands, streams of golden symbols of various shapes appeared before her like a mantle that someone has lifted to show what lies beneath. All around her, the symbols floated like snowflakes suspended in the air, except for a good portion of them that had piled up and swirled about themselves like a little whirlwind of leaves. It was nothing significant but still it must not have been there.


    Any use of magic, however minimal, caused variations in the surroundings, not perceptible to human senses. Depending on the power of the seal, this variation could last an instant or even a couple of days, but if the reports were correct, it had already been about ten days and that anomaly persisted. That should not be happening.


    Being near the shore of the lake she had sensed the trace of a similar anomaly, also quite powerful, but as she was more concerned about the political consequences of the attack she had not paid so much attention to it. After the combat between wizards and sirenians it would not have been unusual for the energy to be unstable.


    A wizard could not have caused that. Not even Eldrin.


    An elf, perhaps, but none of them would give up their immortality just to go for a walk around Terrarkana.


    Nor could a chimera have caused it.


    It was something else.


    However, without any more clues than that, it was hard enough to decide in which direction to go. The creature that had caused the anomaly could be anywhere, and it had left no trace.


    Among the travelers no one suspicious had been found, however, if the culprit was indeed so powerful as to cause that energy fluctuation, Rovenna was convinced that it must also be able to block its power to pass unnoticed at the controls.


    And now Rovenna felt like meeting it.


    It was no more than a guess, a simple bet, but still, the next morning they resumed their journey at full speed. Even so, barely taking a few moments to rest and with Rovenna''s whole body boiling with pain, it took them two more days to glimpse the first signs of the town.


    But it was not houses they saw first, but a dark cloud that, as they advanced, enveloped them like a sinister fog that soon invaded their lungs and forced them to stop.


    Rovenna should have been surprised, but deep down she had expected something like that to happen.


    A fire.


    Like the one at Dragon Lake.

 Chapter 45 - The rescue

    Silas should have been surprised when, while he was busy helping Meldo, several hands grabbed him from behind and dragged him out of the square to a cell in the Town Hall barracks.But he was not surprised at all. In the end, he was in the human kingdom and his fellowship with the theater group had lasted too long. For humans, anything that was different had to be used or destroyed.


    ¡°What are you doing? Where are you taking him?¡± Alder had shouted as if he knew nothing of what was going on.


    ¡°Alder, stay out of this!¡± Gorwan replied in a harsh voice as he and Meldo along with other men took Silas away by force.


    He and Olivia had been betrayed, although Silas wouldn''t call that betrayal because he had never trusted them. He always knew that such risk existed if their travel companions ever got the slightest hint that they weren''t like the rest. He had guessed it in Deema''s eyes that night at camp after their children had turned up unconscious. He couldn''t blame her. It was in a mother''s nature to protect her children, and Silas had learned that in a tragic way.


    After throwing him into the cell, Gorwan had asked the soldiers if he could say some last few words to him.


    ¡°I am sorry, I really am. Perhaps I am making a grave mistake, and if you are found innocent may the Nymph punish me severely,¡± with that said he just left.


    At no time did anyone mention the word "chimera" so Silas deduced that the reason for being locked up there must be because of what Olivia had done.


    Olivia...


    ¡°Where is she, Olivia?¡± he asked the soldiers who gave him an indifferent stare.


    Silas tried his best to poke his head out of the bars.


    ¡°Olivia!¡± his shout echoed along a wide corridor that ended at a large wooden door that must have been the entrance.


    No one answered. Silas didn''t know if that was good or bad. If she had also been captured, she should be taken to the same place as he was, or so he thought... The very idea that she had been taken to another place with that disgusting wizard made his blood boil.


    He needed to transform. In his first form he was utterly useless. He had to escape and find Olivia. Closing his eyes and clenching his fists, he tried to concentrate until the beating of his own heart became deafening as if his insides were going to explode at any moment.


    Nothing happened. He even ripped the talisman from his neck and threw it with such rage that when it crashed against the wall it shattered into pieces and its tiny shards scattered all over the stone floor. Perhaps later he would regret having done it, but he could no longer stand pretending to be human. He didn''t care if the wizards came and discovered him. He would die a chimera, even if it was only in words, because no matter how hard he kept trying, not a single hair on his body succeeded in changing shape.


    Not even when he was a mouse had he felt so unprotected. He began beating on the cell''s iron bars until he hit his head and a trickle of blood dripped down his cheek. One of the guards kicked him away, and Silas fell to the ground in pain.


    ¡°I''ll kill you! I''ll kill you all! You''ll see! I''ll bite your head off! I''ll wipe out this town and everyone you know!¡±


    In response, he heard the guards'' laughter.


    ¡°Pathetic. I don''t even know why we''re watching him. It''s pitiful,¡± said one of them.


    ¡°They say he''s the suspect''s partner. It''s just a precaution.¡±


    ¡°Finally something happens in this pitiful town, but we get to watch a child. It''s not even funny to kick him.¡±


    ¡°We can never have any fun. Wizards always save the best part for themselves.¡±


    As they spoke, a commotion was heard outside.


    ¡°They must bring the suspect in. I heard that several wizards were getting ready in case she resisted.¡±


    ¡°Well, it looks like she''s giving them quite a bit of trouble,¡± said the other, and they fell silent, listening to the shouts of men who seemed to be in the middle of a fight.


    Silas, still lying on the floor, totally defeated, stopped his ears to listen if he could hear Olivia''s voice among the ruckus outside.


    ¡°What a mess, don''t you think?¡± said one of the soldiers.


    ¡°Maybe we should...¡± began to say the other, but was interrupted by a thunderous explosion that made the walls shake.


    ¡°What the fuck!¡±


    The door of the barracks was thrown towards the soldiers who were knocked against a wall that collapsed on them along with a part of the ceiling that left them buried with their hands and feet sticking out like lifeless remains.


    Silas had gone to take refuge at the back of the cell to avoid being hit by the stones, and when he peeked out again through the bars he found a huge hole where the entrance door used to be that revealed a huge patch of sky and the courtyard that was inside the Town Hall.


    In the middle of the hole there was a female figure in a dress which looked dark because of the backlighting, though Silas recognized her at once.


    ¡°Olivia!¡± he exclaimed, but shut up suddenly when he realized that it couldn''t be her.


    He was right because, as the girl came striding closer, dodging the stones scattered along the corridor, he could see her shiny white eyes more clearly.


    ¡°Oh, no... fuck...¡± he had learned that word working with Meldo and from other men, and although it seemed ridiculous it applied to the situation.


    The breeze from the outside was blowing in through the hole pushing the smell of smoke and the sound of terrified screams for help to put out the fire.


    Already in front of his cell, the witch gripped the bars with both hands. A red glow emanated from them and the heat they gave off was so strong that the iron melted immediately. Out of instinct, Silas pulled back, partly to avoid being burned, but also because he didn''t know the witch''s true intentions. Had she come to rescue him or was she going to get rid of him so that Olivia could continue her journey alone?


    The witch seemed to guess that silent question.


    ¡°Don''t worry, I''m not like Clover,¡± she said in a deep voice. ¡°I don''t waste my time with useless games.¡±


    ¡°Who are you then?¡± Silas asked.


    ¡°Spark, and that''s the only question I''ll answer,¡± the witch turned around. ¡°We must leave right now.¡±


    Silas followed her as they both rushed towards the exit. Outside a large group of villagers, in addition to the soldiers and wizards, were helping to carry buckets of water to extinguish the fire that was spreading through much of the Town Hall. Seeing them trying to flee, a group of soldiers with swords in hand blocked their exit.


    Olivia, or rather, Spark, raised both arms while a ball of fire took shape between her hands and was soon hurled at the men. Some flew backwards and others ran screaming trying to extinguish the fire that had caught their clothes.


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    The smoke intensified and began to surround them like a fog. The next to try to stop them were other wizards of different levels who began to move their arms with precise movements launching shockwaves that flew against them but the witch managed to stop them with a simple movement as if she was just shooing away a fly. The wizards watched her livid with terror.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± asked an elderly Master with a long beard, advancing forward. ¡°Why are you attacking our village?¡±


    ¡°We are not attacking, we are defending ourselves,¡± answered Spark. ¡°I would not be here if it were not for you. Let us pass, and you will not be harmed.¡±


    The old man was about to say something else, but first he stopped, pulled by something that seemed to catch his attention. He turned his eyes straight to Silas.


    ¡°I don''t know what you are, girl, but in your case... boy... I sense a strange energy in you... and it''s not human,¡± the wizard opened his eyes even wider. ¡°It cannot be... A...¡±


    Spark soon launched another igneous attack just like the one the soldiers had received. The wizards began to roll on the ground, screaming in pain and trying to extinguish the relentless fire from their long tunics.


    The rest of the people in the courtyard abandoned what they were doing and fled for their lives without caring what happened to what was left of the Town Hall.


    Silas wished he could have felt satisfied with the devastation that would soon spread through the rest of the human village, but as he watched the witch''s mechanical movements, totally different from Olivia''s clumsy but determined manner, he remembered how devastated she would be when she learned of all the damage she had caused.


    ¡°Here!¡± shouted the witch who ran in the direction of a stable where a horse still stood with its saddle on.


    She was the first to get on and held out her hand for him to sit behind her. He had never been on any other animal before and that gave him a strange feeling.


    Spark spurred the horse, which galloped off through the smoke that now covered the surroundings. They could not escape without going through the square so when the horse rushed into a large crowd that had gathered there, the witch raised an arm to make a whirlwind appear that caused the people to scatter in terror, and so they managed to advance without any more problems.


    Even among the chaos, Silas was able to hear a scream lost in the crowd.


    ¡°Silas! Olivia!¡± he didn''t know if it was both of them shouting at the same time or just one. He didn''t manage to see anyone, but he could imagine Celestia''s and Elyssa''s confused faces, as well as perhaps Alder''s, as they watched for the last time the two of them galloping away through the streets of the town.


    A few moments later, after evading more soldiers trying to stop their escape, the horse crossed the entrance to the town and got lost on the road across the open field. Silas took a moment to turn his head and watch the column of smoke rising like a great tower above the houses of the village.


    Sometime ago he had imagined that. The destruction of the human world.


    But he didn''t know why, he couldn''t feel content.


    The horse continued galloping at a steady pace for a while. At one point, the witch forced it to leave the road to avoid meeting other travelers. They continued like that for some time. Silas'' legs ached from the uncomfortable position in which he was forced to travel, besides the fact that in order not to fall off the horse he didn''t have any choice but to hold on tightly to Olivia''s waist, like a frightened child clinging to his mother, and he couldn''t help feeling weird even though the situation was extreme. Good thing she would never remember any of that.


    Suddenly, when the sun was halfway down, Spark brought the horse to a halt in the middle of a vast plain.


    ¡°What''s the matter?¡± Silas asked, looking around to see if there was someone nearby whom he had not noticed.


    ¡°It''s your turn now,¡± Spark''s voice had softened, as if she had lost strength. Her hands let go of the reins and hung from her body.


    Silas didn''t like the sound of that.


    ¡°My turn to what?¡± he asked.


    She lowered her head and began to take a deep breath.


    ¡°To save us... No sirenians here... to help her this time... It will take her... long time... to wake up again.¡±


    ¡°How long...?¡± Silas stopped as he noticed she was starting to slip from the saddle and wrapped his arms around her to keep her from falling.


    ¡°The energy... this body... is running out... fast. If I continue... I''ll kill her.¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡±


    ¡°You must...¡±


    ¡°I can''t!¡± he exclaimed as he struggled to get off the horse without crashing to the ground while carrying her in his arms. ¡°My power doesn''t work! I''m not a wizard either! I cannot ride a horse!¡±


    ¡°Shhh...¡± she seemed to want to comfort him by placing a hand on his long hair and then pointed to a spot on the horizon following the direction of the sun. ¡°Over there... the east... look... for... a place... safe... wait...¡± those were the witch''s words before she dropped her hand and closed her eyes.


    ¡°No, no, Olivia, don''t leave me alone! Don''t be an idiot! I''m useless in this form! I cannot save you!¡±


    Silas could not breathe. He stared frantically at the loneliness of the field around him until he turned his gaze to where she had pointed him. Panic held him stiff for a few moments as he hugged Olivia''s unconscious body and it took him a while to realize he had his face buried in her hair. He inhaled deeply at the sweet scent that seemed to snap him out of his daze and with her body in his arms he suddenly sat up.


    ¡°I did tell you,¡± he said even though she couldn''t hear him. ¡°If you get caught, I''ll escape and you''ll have to fend for yourself.¡±


    Fine, but if they catch you, I''ll rescue you again.


    She had told him that.


    Silas managed to position Olivia''s limp body on the horse so that she wouldn''t fall off. He couldn''t bring himself to ride without losing control of the animal, so he decided to at least hold the reins and continue on foot with her lying on the saddle.


    ¡°We are enemies,¡± he said as they slowly started moving.


    We were enemies... a hundred years ago...


    "Chimeras never joined the Covenant, so we''re still at war."


    What nonsense. I don''t regret saving you. I''d do it again a hundred times over.


    He gritted his teeth as if he wanted to powder them.


    ¡°Fuck, Olivia. I hate you, I hate you so, so much. You can''t imagine how much.¡±


    You don''t owe me anything. You are free to leave whenever you want.


    ¡°Of course I am not free, you stupid half-human, stupid half-elf, stupid witch. You know very well I cannot leave. You know that, don''t you?¡± for a moment he turned his eyes to the peaceful face of the girl whose delicate flower-like lips had curved as if behind them a smile was about to sprout. ¡°Of course you know that.¡±


    The evening breeze was getting cooler and cooler, announcing the imminent sunset. Silas felt uneasy that night was falling on them without having found any shelter and tried to hurry the horse''s pace as much as he could. He had once thought of becoming one while living in hiding in the castle of Shadowrock, but had discarded it when he saw how they were used by humans. At that time perhaps it would have been useful to him, instead of depending on that unpredictable and reluctant animal that every now and then shook its head and his heart stopped thinking it was about to run away.


    But those kinds of thoughts were of no use now because he couldn''t transform anyway, and perhaps he would never be able to do so again in his life.


    He shook his head. Now he had to focus on finding shelter.


    He found it just as the last rays had died out, and the sky was painted a violet color that was getting darker and darker. There were some huge rocks between which a hole had formed large enough for two bodies to fit through, though quite squeezed together.


    He tied the horse to a nearby tree, and took Olivia in his arms. Then he positioned himself with his back to the cave and crawled backwards with her body resting on his chest. Thus he lay inside the hole feeling the warmth of Olivia''s body against his, and her soft breathing tickling his arms as he held her close so as not to let the cold of the night freeze them.


    He didn''t want to fall asleep. He had to stay alert all night. However, the exhaustion of that long day that had started in the worst way was taking its toll and soon his eyelids began to feel heavy until he lost track of time and his mind was swallowed by darkness.


    When he woke up, still hugging the girl''s body, he didn''t know how much time had passed but he guessed it must have been late in the morning as the light pouring through the entrance of the hole was quite bright.


    ¡°Olivia? Can you hear me?¡± he shook her gently, trying to wake her up, but after several attempts he gave up. Her breathing at least seemed to be normal. She was just sleeping. Spark had told him it would took some time.


    He laid her body on the ground and began to crawl out of the cave. He looked up at the sky. The sun was already quite high. They had to get moving again as soon as possible. Perhaps he would have to take a chance and ride. Someone might be following them.


    Thinking this, he heard the rustling of something shuffling in the grasses. He looked in the direction of the horse still standing there, but the noise was coming from the opposite direction.Turning his eyes, his spirits fell when he found a man half-hidden behind a log staring at him with his eyes bright and voracious like a predator about to pounce on its prey.


    The man moved slowly toward him as he began to speak.


    ¡°For days now I have been hearing rumors about a strange energy, but I couldn''t keep track of it. As if it had suddenly disappeared. Then, yesterday, it resurfaced only to die out again in a few hours. I thought I had lost it again, but then... I felt your presence... and couldn''t believe my luck.¡±


    He spoke to Silas as if they knew each other, but he didn''t look like anyone he met. He was a middle-aged man with very ordinary features, brown, messy hair, average height. He wore travel clothes of dull colors.


    ¡°Maybe this way you will remember me,¡± he said suddenly, and brought a hand to his neck to remove a talisman hanging from it.


    The man''s face took on a very different shape. His beard grew longer, and his hair whitened.


    There it was. The wizard was not wearing his red tunic, but Silas remembered his face very well from that encounter in the tower of Shadowrock Castle.


    ¡°Listen now, chimera, I have nothing against you,¡± said Master Eldrin. ¡°Just return my Lady to me, and I''ll let you go in peace.¡±

 Chapter 46 - The fight for existing

    The cold surprise that at first had paralyzed Silas began to ignite like a flame in the middle of his chest and then spread throughout the rest of his body as the wizard continued to speak.


    ¡°Resisting in pointless,¡± Eldrin told him when he noticed that the boy did not move away from the entrance of the small cave. ¡°If I haven''t blown you up yet, it''s because I pity creatures as weak as you. It would be a waste of power. Besides, I consider myself a righteous person. You have protected my Lady when she could not defend herself. As a reward, I will let you live.¡±


    But Silas didn''t move, and clenched his fists until he dug his own nails into his palms, which was also a way to control the rising tremor he was trying to hide. He knew that against the wizard he could do nothing, but he needed to buy some time to think of an escape plan.


    Though from the back of his head a voice emerged telling him that his journey with Olivia was over, that he had better save his own life. Silas ignored it, and instead focused on the dark eyes of the wizard who watched him impassively as if there was nothing in front of him but an annoying insect about to be crushed.


    ¡°I don''t know why you are acting outraged, when we are both on the same side,¡± Eldrin added.


    Silas could not let that offense pass.


    ¡°On the same side as a wizard? Never!¡±


    The wizard''s eyebrows rose.


    ¡°Why did you leave the mountains? I don''t think it was just to get to know our kingdom. There is no place for you here. If you have no hatred for humans, then you are not a true chimera.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you scum!¡±


    ¡°Go back to your race, and deliver the news to them. In a short time, humans, except for the chosen ones, will be decimated and annihilated as you were. Lady Daephennya will see to it...¡±


    ¡°I want nothing to do with the damned elves! They used the humans to kill us, because they couldn''t do it themselves! It is you who is pathetic! When Daephennya is done using you, she will wipe you out just like the rest!¡±


    ¡°Your mind is too simple. I have given you the opportunity. Now move.¡±


    As he said that, Eldrin waved his hand, and Silas was engulfed by a whirlwind that suddenly lifted him up and threw him hard against the ground. His chest was the first to hit the ground, causing the air to leave his lungs.


    It took him a moment to sit up due to the trembling of his arms, which were barely able to bear the weight of his own weight. The fall had blurred his vision, and it took him a moment to recognize Olivia''s floating body that slowly emerged from the cave while he was guided by Eldrin''s movements while retreating.


    ¡°I never understood the interest of my peers in such pathetic creatures as you,¡± the wizard said without looking at him. ¡°Magical creatures, yes, but your power does not compare with the rest. Even hybrids must be stronger than you. The only thing I criticize about my ancestors is that they wasted their time hunting such insignificant creatures when there was another superior power to aspire to.¡±


    Silas gritted his teeth as he forced his legs to stand up.


    ¡°I may be insignificant, but so are you, and you will realize it when it is too late.¡±


    Eldrin pulled a sharp gesture, and Silas found himself being dragged backwards as if several hands were holding him by his limbs. As he crashed against one of the rocks, a searing stab pierced him from the center of his back as if he had been stabbed with a sword.


    Stunned by the pain, he did not notice until too late that Eldrin had reached up to wrap a hand around his neck, preventing Silas from breathing.


    ¡°Although I must confess...¡± said the wizard, ¡°that I always felt curious to know what my ancestors found once they decided to mutilate the chimeras'' bodies to study your filthy insides.¡±


    Eldrin''s hand closed even tighter around Silas'' neck, and as he jerked trying to free himself he watched helplessly as the wizard''s other hand pulled back and in his palm formed a small sphere of a kind of evil light that seemed to be gathering strength to slam into the center of his chest.


    Despite the terror he felt at what he knew was his imminent death, Silas looked away from the wizard''s reddened eyes and toward Olivia''s unconscious body lying on the grass.


    For a moment it seemed as if time had stood still as he watched her, taking comfort in the thought that it would be her face the last thing he would see before he departed to the afterlife.


    If only she would wake up so that he could sink into those eyes as blue as the sea which he hadn''t yet gotten the chance to know.


    But that felt like a selfish wish, and he didn''t want Olivia to see him die.


    Instead, he remembered the words of his grandfather, not long before his death, as the sun was setting over the mountains. The old chimera had told him that he did not feel fear of death but a deep peace, as if, at the end of it all, one would find the calm he was always looking for.


    ¡°My little one, now it is time to rest, to return to the very origin from which we all come,¡± he whispered caressing Sila''s head. Unlike the rest of the elders, he was the only one who adopted his first form to keep his grandson from feeling lonely. ¡°I was granted a long life. It is true that the war took away many of our kind, but because of them I survived and returned to my pack. I was even able to watch my children grow up and find their own way. It is time to close my cycle. Yours is just beginning.¡±


    ¡°I don''t want you to leave,¡± Silas had told him with a broken voice, clinging to his body which was gradually losing its warmth.


    ¡°I won''t go far, you''ll see,¡± even at that moment his grandfather''s kind eyes reflected the very brightness of the sun. ¡°When you hear the wind whistling through the abysses, when the moon''s glow rests on the mountain peaks, when you hear the whisper of a secret river, I will be there, being part of everything that surrounds you.¡±


    ¡°Yet...¡±


    ¡°It is your turn to honor the time you have been given in this world. Don''t despise this gift, don''t pity me, little one, but, above all don''t give up. Embrace life, hold on to every moment, fight with all your might, love without restraint, and always seek the truth in your heart! Let the rest of the world know that you will not surrender your right to exist just like that! I want you to live as long as you can, and when your time comes you can repeat these same words to those who come after you. Promise me that you will live!¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± Silas had answered him in a whisper shortly before he saw his grandfather''s body dissolve into the mountain air.


    ¡°I promise,¡± he now whispered as he watched the small sphere of light Eldrin held in his hand come crashing down on him.


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    At that moment, something inside his chest exploded. Out of his mouth came a shriek that seemed to cut the sky like the boom of thunder. His left arm, which up to that moment, like his right, had been trying unsuccessfully to contain the strength of his adversary, seemed to come to life of its own accord, and after gathering momentum a deadly hiss cut through the air as his fingers, now turned into long, curved claws that flashed in the sunlight dug into the wizard''s face, and upon contact with the skin opened a great wound of such magnitude that it made the blood splatter with such force that for a moment Silas'' eyes were blinded by the red viscous substance.


    As he quickly wiped his eyes with his other hand, he listened in disbelief to the screams of the wizard rolling on the grass.


    He had done it. He, a powerless chimera, had hurt a wizard.


    When he regained his vision, the first thing he saw were the sharp claws from which blood was still dripping though not his own. His hand was now a hairy, muscular structure. The palm of the paw was broad and thick, of a rough, dark skin.


    During his stay at Shadowrock Castle, the fox-transformed chimera had ventured into the forest area near the mountains to observe a family of bears in the hope of transforming into one. He never came close to achieving it, and now, out of nowhere, appeared that lethal weapon when he thought all was lost.


    But, in truth, only his left hand had been transformed. The rest of his body remained unchanged.


    After the unexpected attack, the wizard tried without much success to heal himself with a seal that could do little for the huge hole caused by the claw that had disfigured half of his face. Without wasting time, Silas jumped on him launching another powerful blow, but this time Eldrin reacted in time to invoke a shield that caused the powerful claws of the chimera to suffer an intense pain that struck his body forcing him to retreat.


    Silas tried to relieve his frustration with another shriek before attacking again, but as close as he came to hitting his target with lethal accuracy, it was not enough. The wizard, though with one missing eye, soon recovered from his own pain. He stepped forward towards the chimera, and again fired a furious shockwave that sent Silas bursting back into a rock. He saw more drops of blood splatter around him, but this one to his regret was his own, and he couldn''t tell where it had spurted from as his entire body was overcome with spasms of pain.


    Without making himself wait, the wizard lifted him up on the ground and dropped him again among the rocks. Silas flailed his limbs in all directions trying to attenuate the fall, but the torture was so great that there came a point where he could only give up. Even if the rest of his body had been transformed at that moment, and no matter how much fury overcame the physical pain, it was impossible for a chimera to overcome the power of a wizard.


    Silas had not lived long enough.


    He could not go in peace like his grandfather.


    He had not kept his promise.


    But at least he had fought to his last breath.


    Again he felt his numb body peel away from the stone to rise again.


    That was the final onslaught.


    It must have been close to noon. The sky was clear, without a single cloud to mitigate the indifferent rays of a scorching sun, mute witness of his abrupt ending. However, a darkness seemed to invade the firmament and among the shadows Silas managed to glimpse the first stars that, like small explosions, twinkled in the distance as if they were greeting him, as if they were welcoming him.


    Here ended the life of the chimera Silas, named this way by the only person who had truly recognized him as an equal, the only one he knew would be sad for him, although he did not want her to be sad, much less alone.


    ¡°When you hear the wind whistling through the abysses, when the moon''s glow rests on the mountain peaks, when you hear the whisper of a secret river, I will be there...¡± Silas whispered for Olivia even though he could no longer see her from where he stood.


    A new journey began towards the origin where all beings on earth came from. Humans, elves, giants, elementals, hybrids, sirens and chimeras. Maybe even witches. Perhaps there, someday, at the end of time, he would be able to meet her again.


    At least, that last thought comforted him.


    ¡°See you later, Olivia.¡±


    With those words, Silas closed his eyes and accepted his fate with the same humility as his grandfather.


    The darkness finally enveloped him, though it no longer seemed frightening or lonely.


    He was returning to the source of life.


    Although he did not understand why, just as he was ready to cross, the dark firmament above him cracked.


    A bolt of lightning pierced the blackness. The distant stars faded, and returned to the depths from which they had emerged.


    Silas, surprised, opened his eyes while hearing a cry that resounded with the same force of the thunder that had preceded it.


    It was a woman''s voice, powerful and resolved:


    ¡°Eldrin Caedos!¡±


    The chimera did not understand why at that moment his body was slowly returning to the ground as that old woman with a haggard face, but a furious look approached them galloping on horseback.


    ¡°Rovenna Astra,¡± said the wizard calmly. ¡°I thought you were supposed to be nearby, but I didn''t think you could stand the journey...¡±


    ¡°By the authority of the Council...!¡± the newcomer started to say, but cut herself off when she saw the wizard''s pitiful state.


    ¡°The Council!¡± mocked the wizard. ¡°I no longer answer to you or even the Conclave!¡±


    ¡°You are insane!¡± the woman looked confused in front of his unrecognizable face covered in blood. ¡°Surrender now, and perhaps you will be able to keep your life.¡±


    The wizard spat on the ground.


    ¡°We''ve known each other for a lifetime, Rovenna. You know very well that''s not an option for me.¡±


    The wizard Rovenna stopped her horse a short distance from Eldrin so that her figure cast an elongated shadow over him.


    Disoriented from so many jolts, Silas crawled among the stones, and set about looking for Olivia. Finding her, he crawled like a snake across the ground until he reached her while the two wizards continued to talk.


    ¡°Despite everything you did in the past,¡± Rovenna said in a voice laden with pain, ¡°I never imagined it would come to this... Your name has been tarnished forever, and all for what?¡±


    Despite the great wound on his face, Eldrin made a grimace that tried to look as close to a smile as possible.


    ¡°A new order is about to begin, Rovenna, and the power of the Council is nothing in the face of what is to come.¡±


    ¡°And what does Olivia of Shadowrock have to do with any of this?¡±


    The wizard let out a laugh that was cut short by a wince.


    ¡°If I were the Master Arcanist, I would know the truth by now, but I see that you couldn''t even get the information out of the pathetic Count who has failed to be even a shadow of his predecessor. No matter how hard you tried to hide it, your compassion has always been your worst weakness.¡±


    Rovenna''s voice hardened even more.


    ¡°My compassion has a limit, and if you are so bothered by that, you will be happy to know that I reserve nothing for you.¡±


    Saying this, Rovenna stretched out her arms, and a dark orb emanated from her hands.


    ¡°Now you need to be reminded of why I succeeded in taking away the position you wanted so badly so that you will never forget it again.¡±


    Eldrin raised his hands, creating a sphere of similar characteristics.


    ¡°If you only knew who I serve, you would understand that it is of no value to me.¡±


    Rovenna grimaced.


    ¡°I only regret that my victory will not be fair this time...¡±


    ¡°Don''t be sorry, surely my Lady will reward me with a new eye.¡±


    ¡°Your Lady?¡±


    Eldrin took that moment to throw the sphere straight at her, but the Master Arcanist reacted in time to stop the attack with her own. When they collided, both spheres caused a shockwave that made Silas cling tightly to Olivia''s unconscious body trying to prevent both of them from being thrown away.


    However, that was not the case, because, to his surprise, Eldrin had taken the safeguard of protecting them with a shield.


    The air was filled with a series of shimmering, quivering lines, like tiny lightning bolts that zigzagged like snakes. Around the two duelers a smoking circle had formed that had swept through the vegetation.


    ¡°Coward as a chimera,¡± he snarled. ¡°Be thankful I''m busy and can''t kill you right now.¡±


    ¡°Chimera...¡± Rovenna finally looked at him. ¡°Silas?¡±


    Still holding Olivia close, Silas nodded. He didn''t know how that woman had come to know his name, but he decided that maybe that was a good sign. At least she had gotten Eldrin off his back.


    ¡°Run away! Get to safety!¡± Rovenna shouted at him.


    ¡°Not without Olivia!¡± Silas replied.


    Rovenna let out a sigh of exasperation.


    ¡°Eldrin won''t hurt her! Save your life! You''re in the human realm, by the Nymph!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± in order to release Olivia they would have to kill him first.


    Eldrin took advantage of Rovenna''s distraction to launch another attack that she avoided with a dense shield, although from his position on the ground Silas was able to notice that the attacks were taking their toll on the woman''s exhausted body.


    Barely with time to recover from the attack, Rovenna took a deep breath and, with a cold and defiant voice, addressed the other wizard:


    ¡°Today, Eldrin, you decide your fate,¡± she said, firm, as the air around her crackled with golden lightning. ¡°And like so many other times, your stubborn habit of underestimating me will be your undoing.¡±

 Chapter 47 - The Baroness

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± asked the Acolyte as he spotted the young Rovenna behind some rocks practicing magic, hidden from the rest of the party on their way to the Mirror Forest.


    Rovenna jumped in surprise and as a result tripped over the folds of her own dress falling backwards to the ground. The light-haired, blue-robed young man approached her and held out his hand to help her up. She hesitated for a moment until finally accepting the wizard''s hand and getting up. She thanked him and began to walk away pretending that nothing had happened.


    If she was lucky, he would think she was just playing and probably wouldn''t comment to anyone about what he had just seen. And if she was not so lucky, the episode would reach her husband''s ears and she would have to face the punishment and also the loss of what little joy she had enjoyed in the last few days while he was busy leading the delegation that had left Nemertya only two days ago.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± said the wizard, and Rovenna''s heart stopped. ¡°That''s not the right way to do it.¡±


    She had insulted him, Rovenna thought, and now he was going to make her pay.


    But that didn''t happen.


    ¡°First... legs and back straight,¡± at the girl''s confused look, he began to show her with his own body the same steps he was listing. ¡°Hands at chest level. When you draw the seal, your movements must be fluid and elegant, like musicians when they play an instrument,¡± then he slowly drew the seal in the air until his hands stopped visibly tense from the energy that had condensed between his palms. ¡°Hold, aim and release,¡± with an abrupt forward movement the wizard released a strong current of air that was expelled from the point where he had invoked the seal in Rovenna''s direction.


    At no time did the astonished girl miss any detail of the Acolyte''s movements and only closed her eyes when she felt how the released energy of the seal vibrated around her, shaking the folds of her dress and messing up her brown hair until it dissipated completely.


    When she opened them, the wizard gestured to her as an invitation to repeat what he had done.


    Trying to contain the emotion in her racing heart, she nodded and straightened her body, not an easy task because she realized that she was also trembling. She raised her hands following the instructions as he had shown her. A slight tingling ran through her fingers as the energy began to build up between them, but when she eagerly stretched her arms forward to release it, it was barely strong enough to elicit a puff.


    Despite her failure, the wizard nodded.


    ¡°Better, again.¡±


    Rovenna repeated all the steps, the result was almost the same.


    ¡°Again,¡± said the wizard.


    They went on like that for a while until after several attempts, she had achieved a little more power, but her seal was nothing compared to what the Acolyte had shown her at the beginning.


    ¡°Do not worry, my lady, in time I am sure you will have no problem mastering it,¡± he told her as he helped her up. ¡°The sun is about to set, I should...¡±


    ¡°Oh no!¡± Rovenna suddenly became aware of how long she had been away from the camp, ¡°I have to go back!¡±


    ¡°If it is the Baron you are worried about, I have seen that he is busy with...¡± he cleared his throat, but did not continue. Yet Rovenna understood that he was referring to the voluptuous mistress her husband had brought with him from Nemertya on the same travel as his wife.


    Though Rovenna didn''t complain at all. The woman could even go and live under the same roof as the couple, for all she cared.


    ¡°Ah...¡± she took a deep breath to calm herself.


    ¡°My name is Eldrin Caedos,¡± the young man said.


    ¡°Rovenna...¡± she paused before continuing. She didn''t want to tell him she was an Astra, not that he should know that, but she didn''t feel pleasure in saying her husband''s family name either.


    ¡°My pleasure,¡± Eldrin bowed his head. ¡°I was not aware that you were training.¡±


    ¡°I really shouldn''t,¡± she admitted sheepishly.


    ¡°It''s a pity,¡± sighed Eldrin, and they both returned to the camp together without saying another word.


    The next day the great procession of soldiers and wizards resumed their march, and did not stop again until the afternoon. As was her custom, Rovenna waited until her husband was distracted in his own pleasures to sneak for a while behind a group of trees that would hide what she was doing.


    Eldrin Caedos didn''t take long to follow her and provide her of more directions.


    Rovenna felt uncomfortable as he stared at her without losing detail, but she did her best to comply as he tried to teach her.


    ¡°Your movements are becoming more fluid, but you still can''t get the energy level under control. Again.¡±


    Just like the day before, the story repeated itself and ended with Rovenna running back to her tent before her husband could notice her absence.


    That was the beginning of her friendship with Eldrin Caedos, or at least Rovenna saw it that way. At first they did not talk much, due to the short time she had to escape from her husband''s sight, but little by little Eldrin felt more inclined to talk to her while the party marched towards their destination. To do so, he would bring his horse closer to the carriage where the Baroness was traveling and they would try to talk as quietly as possible so that their voices would fade away amidst the sounds of the horses'' hooves.


    By then they were halfway across the eastern fringe towards the Mirror Forest where they would be received by Lord Narthoss who as every year entertained the king''s representatives, as well as the Count of Shadowrock who was making his annual tour visiting the three elven lords after attending the Return of the Sirenians.


    For both Rovenna and Eldrin, it was their first time visiting the forest, and they couldn''t stop talking about what they might find. Eldrin was more knowledgeable than her, since he had devoted his entire life to the study of elven culture, and could describe in detail the countless wonders described in books, although those descriptions would probably pale in comparison to the actual experience.


    For some time Rovenna had heard of the Caedos. It was a family of great importance, though not as influential as the five families descended from the first wizards. Still, through alliances and marriages they had secured important positions within the Council. Eldrin''s own father headed the Control Division, while his mother was a renowned Education instructor who had trained the best wizards in the kingdom. Once Eldrin finished touring Terrarkana it was very likely that he would begin working there, although Rovenna was surprised when he said that he actually aspired to much more than a mere employment.


    ¡°A post in the Council is a noble task but... the study of the Codes... breaking the limits to which we humans are subjected... that is my dream. That is why I decided to accompany the Baron on this journey.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to find in the forest?¡± Rovenna asked.


    ¡°I want to ask Lord Narthoss to grant me the privilege of becoming his disciple.¡±


    That took her by surprise. It was one thing to ask to study ancient scrolls from the elven libraries and quite another to be accepted as an apprentice.


    ¡°What? But the elves...¡±


    ¡°Lord Narthoss is the only one of the three siblings who has taken human apprentices.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± until then Rovenna had believed that since the time of the first five wizards no one had been lucky enough to be accepted.


    ¡°It doesn''t happen as often as one would wish,¡± Eldrin continued with a shrug. ¡°You know how elves are. Time doesn''t affect them like it does us... I think the last one to be accepted was our current Master Arcanist.¡±


    ¡°But that must have been...¡±


    ¡°Forty years ago...¡± sighed Eldrin. ¡°I have no hope of succeeding, but I have nothing to lose by trying, except my dignity,¡± a faint laugh escaped his lips.


    ¡°You are an excellent wizard, Eldrin,¡± Rovenna said with conviction. ¡°I am sure he will accept you.¡±


    ¡°You lack a lot of practice to be able to determine the true power of a wizard, but I accept the compliment,¡± he smiled and, after making sure no one was watching, reached out to caress Rovenna''s cheek, who turned away from the window so he couldn''t see how flushed her face had turned.


    She would be very happy for Eldrin if the elf took him as his disciple, but at the same time it made her sad because she had already looked forward to returning to Nemertya knowing that now she had a friend to share her magic with.


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    Though it was to be expected. He was an Acolyte on his annual journey. It would take time for them to meet again, and when they did, she would be happy again.


    She just had to be patient as she had been so far.


    ¡°Wait and be patient¡±, her mother had told her the night before her wedding.


    During their golden age, the Astra had been chimera hunters, in the service of the five families, and were respected throughout the kingdom for their tactics both methodical and ruthless. However, after the peace treaty, all their privileges were rescinded and they were severely punished by the same Council that had previously employed them. All the important members of the family were annihilated, among them Rovenna''s great-grandfather, while the rest, including the children, had a cross seal engraved on their bodies. Only the following generations were spared the punishment, and by the time she was born her parents were earning an honest living as merchants.


    However, the yearning for past glories was suddenly awakened one day when it was revealed that, of all their children, Rovenna possessed a natural talent for magic. This was accidentally discovered after a wizard dropped a parchment from his saddlebag while visiting her family''s business.


    As Rovenna went to pick it up, she was so mesmerized by the symbols written on it that she was unable to hear her father''s loud voice commanding her to return it to its owner. However, the wizard seemed amused by the girl''s innocent curiosity. He knew she could not understand anything it said so he gave her permission to study it for a while as he continued with his searching of goods.


    Great was the surprise once she finished tracing the shape of the seal with her fingers, and caused a shockwave of such magnitude that it shot out in all directions, scaring the customers who ran away terrified and destroying all the merchandise on the spot. However, unlike other times when she had been punished with several blows, the wizard himself stopped her father''s hand to ask him about his daughter''s magical power.


    What had started as a simple accident became the first manifestation of the exceptional talent that would change the girl''s destiny and the future of her family.


    From one day to the next, Rovenna''s life changed, as if a warm light had been kindled inside her within the abyss of her soul from whose depths life was beginning to emerge. For some years she walked the busy streets of Nemertya to attend classes along with the rest of the Initiates. Her enthusiasm reached such an extreme that she soon stood out for being the first to complete the exercises with remarkable accuracy, as well as memorizing the lines of the seals in half the time of her classmates. However, she was still too innocent to realize that her progress was scrutinized with suspicion by several high members of the Council who ended up filing an official complaint with the Control Division about the presence of a member of the Astra family who was trying to slip into their ranks.


    Several decades had already passed since the downfall of her family. That was why she was not expelled immediately, but neither was she allowed to continue to begin her training as an Acolyte. The wizard who had helped her to enroll suggested that she try to apply to one of the many Orders scattered throughout Terrarkana, but the Council''s rejection dashed her parents'' expectations and once again Rovenna''s life took an unforeseen turn.


    All dreams were snatched away from her and even darker shadows emerged when her parents decided that the practical thing to do would be to marry her off or, rather, sell her as a flock to a distinguished military man whose fight with the pirates earned him the title of Baron. The man was three times her age, had already been married and widowed twice, and had many children who would inherit his titles and possessions, so marrying her would not make the slightest difference to him. As requirements, the old man had only requested that his future wife be young, without visible physical defects and of an obedient character that would allow him to spend the rest of their lives in peace.


    But that peace did not include Rovenna, who had to suffer constant mistreatment from him and her in-laws. At least, she had been lucky enough that in all that time she had not become pregnant and for that she may have to thank the same beatings that could leave her confined to bed for several days.


    However, now she had met Eldrin, who was showing her that with effort and dedication she could improve until she achieved what she set out to do, and her hopes had been reborn.


    He had taken the task of being her instructor with all seriousness and Rovenna could be sure that every day she was surpassing herself because the greater her progress the more demanding Eldrin became. However, he was always vigilant that she did not get hurt, not for herself but for his position.


    ¡°This is not half of what I would like you to do, but I don''t want you to push yourself. You are the Baron''s wife, and he will hold me responsible for anything that happens to you.¡±


    Only when he said that did Rovenna allow herself to feel annoyed with him. She hated it when he brought up her situation because for her those were the only times of the day when she could pretend she was someone else. While training with Eldrin, she was no longer the quiet Baroness but a random wizard on her Acolyte journey. She had even told the maid who was assisting her that from now on she would only wear blue. Luckily for her, her husband who hardly paid attention to her did not notice the change of attire. Eldrin had indeed noticed the change, but said nothing, and just gave her a mocking glance at her dresses. Rovenna couldn''t be sure if he was just amused or thought she was being too presumptuous.


    Just helping her in her training was already a gamble for him, but as the days went by Rovenna had to realized that Eldrin was not as daring as he seemed to her at first. It was painful to admit it but she already knew that in case they were discovered he would not fight for her.


    Whenever Eldrin spoke of his aspirations he never mentioned her in that future, except to promise to write to his parents to help her join the Council, though requiring permission from the Baron was a tricky business. It was there that she realized that, while Eldrin was passionate about knowledge, that didn''t mean he questioned the harsh order of the world they lived in. He was proud to consider himself her instructor, but would never help her escape her marriage.


    To him, she was nothing more than an object to be molded.


    By the time they reached the borders of the Mirror Forest, Rovenna had made up her mind that she would have no more illusions and would treasure that journey with Eldrin as a sweet memory for when she returned to her gray life in Nemertya.


    The only way to enter the Mirror Forest was through a river that meandered through trees shrouded in a dense fog. Not far away, a small white wooden dock emerged from the mist, with several boats waiting for them, though stripped of oars. On the wood were carved symbols that Rovenna could not identify although she later ascertained that these had been placed there to make the boats move on their own. The first boats began to glide smoothly over the water, taking with them first the Masters and the Baron, plus Eldrin who from now on, to Rovenna''s pity, would have to remain close to his superiors.


    After patiently waiting her turn, she boarded the remaining boats along with the soldiers and servants, and they soon crossed the threshold of the forest.


    Rovenna gasped at the sight of the crystal clear river reflecting the sky and the trees like a mirror. She could drive herself mad deciding where to fix her gaze. Below the surface an underwater world of intertwined roots and moss-covered stones, while on the surface, lichens and vines hung like green curtains from the branches.


    As they advanced, the trees seemed to lean forward, forming a natural tunnel overhead. The mist gradually dissipated, revealing the intense colors of leaves and foliage. A sweet scent, like a potion, wafted through the air, relaxing her senses and making her forget her worries.


    The silence was almost absolute, interrupted only by the gentle skimming of the boats on the water and the sighs of the rest of the dazzled travelers. Occasionally, a silvery glint revealed the presence of fish swimming swiftly beneath the surface. Tree roots formed natural arches through which the boats had to pass, and small wooden bridges began to appear between the branches connecting the first elven houses that emerged among the vegetation.


    Suddenly, the forest opened up and there appeared before them a vast lake on which stood a majestic white palace. From a distance, it appeared to float on the water, but as they approached, Rovenna noticed that it was built on a base of stones barely visible beneath the surface.


    The boats gently approached the stone pier, and the party began to quietly disembark. Rovenna watched as her husband and the wizards ascended a wide marble staircase, which glistened in the dim light of dusk. She began to climb the stairs, keeping a prudent distance from the group, who were already at the entrance, exchanging respectful greetings with the elves. She intended to go as unnoticed as possible, as she was afraid of making mistakes that her husband would later use as excuses to mistreat her. However she couldn''t help the growing curiosity that was hurrying her up to take a closer look at the tall and imposing figure of Lord Narthoss.


    She had never seen anyone so beautiful. The elf head stood out above all those present. His long blond hair fell like a waterfall to his waist. He wore a white robe with delicate silver trimmings that reflected the light, and his intense, inquisitive purple eyes lingered on each of the visitors as if he could read their deepest thoughts.


    Her husband made no attempt to introduce her to the elf, which did not surprise her.


    However, to everybody''s surprise, Lord Narthoss did notice her.


    ¡°The Baroness, I presume.¡±


    The elf''s tone seemed to unsettle the wizards who turned to look at Rovenna and moved away to let her pass.


    The Baron cleared his throat before speaking.


    ¡°Indeed, my lord.¡±


    The elf then extended his hand towards her.


    With a mixture of awe and nervousness at that unexpected gesture of courtesy, Rovenna stepped forward and accepted the elf''s hand, who bowed his head slightly before gently bringing her hand to his lips. The softness of his skin and the warmth of his touch unnerved her, and for an instant, everything around her faded away, as if time had stopped. As she looked up, the elf''s eyes sparkled like two precious gems.


    Aware that everyone was looking at her, Rovenna released his hand and stepped back nervously, feeling an intense heat on her face.


    ¡°Welcome to the White Tower,¡± the elf did not smile with his lips but with his eyes. ¡°It may not be as impressive as my sister''s Blue Willow in Serenity Glade, but we will see to it that your stay will be the most pleasant one.¡±


    Rovenna had no idea what the elven capital must look like, and she could not imagine anything more beautiful than that huge, shining castle.


    The elf turned around, and from then on no one paid any attention to Rovenna. Before walking away, she thought she caught a glimpse of a shadow in Eldrin''s eyes, but he withdrew before she could notice.


    Meanwhile, she was left in the care of a group of elves women who led her to her quarters, which were reached through long corridors that twisted and turned like a labyrinth. She had imagined that the place would be full of mirrors but that was not the case. In reality, what proliferated more were small fountains of crystalline water, some even embedded in the walls carved in the shapes of forest animals and plants, whose sounds reverberated like the gentle flow of a river.


    Unlike the gray hole she occupied in Nemertya, the light that entered the room chased away all shadows. Compared to the splendor of the rest of the palace, it was modest but of simple elegance. A wooden bed with soft white curtains occupied the center of the chamber, furnished with simple and practical furniture, and at one end a wide balcony opened up, offering a panoramic view of the sun-gilded lake and the complex web of the aquatic forest.


    To recover from the journey, the elves prepared a bath for her and, as rarely in her life, gave her the option of staying for dinner in her room, which she gladly accepted.


    As night fell, moonlight streamed through the open balcony bathing her room in a silvery glow, and though she tried to stay awake to enjoy the night landscape, exhaustion made her succumb.


    When she awoke the next morning, she felt as relaxed as if she had slept for days, although at some point during the night her sleep had been stirred by the sight of the elf''s violet eyes.

 Chapter 48 - The Dark Mirror

    Since she wasn¡¯t required to participate in the matters that the Masters and her husband would discuss with Lord Narthoss, she decided to dedicate all her time entirely to the enjoyment of her own solitude during her whole stay, though she was always accompanied by a group of elf women who remained mostly silent as they guided her through different parts of the palace, which included countless rooms for practicing different kinds of art, like dancing, singing, sculpture, painting and weaving, and even for meditation. All of them were equally decorated with fountains and floral motifs.


    But where she spent most of her time was in the library with its towering shelves, whose only allowed books contained ancient symbols she couldn¡¯t recognize, though she spent hours reading them and delighting in the beauty of their forms.


    She also never got tired of wandering through the inner gardens, whose variety of fountains and plants was even more impressive. To her greater pleasure, she never once encountered any other member of her party, and she even began to suspect that the elf women had guessed her secret desire and were deliberately avoiding the rest of the humans. She wondered what they might have told her husband about her prolonged absence, but in the end, she realized she preferred not to know.


    They didn¡¯t speak much and barely smiled, but as the days passed, Rovenna grew accustomed to their presence and even learned to read their reserved expressions, which no longer made her feel uncomfortable. In fact, she learned to enjoy their company, and they seemed to enjoy teaching her their dances and songs, which were a delight to the senses.


    The only thing she missed were her training sessions with Eldrin, but although she thought about asking about his whereabouts, she decided to leave him alone. He must have been busy figuring out how to secure an audience with the elf, and she didn¡¯t want to bother him. He had already taken plenty of time to teach her all he could.


    The one person she did run into by accident during her walks through the gardens was Lord Narthoss, who was staring intently at a water fountain as if he were in deep meditation.


    Upon seeing him, Rovenna tried to turn back the way she came, but the crunch of her footsteps was loud enough to pull the elf out of his trance, and he turned his head to look at her.


    ¡°Is the Baroness enjoying her stay? I haven¡¯t seen you since your arrival.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, my Lord,¡± she replied, flustered, while bowing. ¡°I¡¯m delighted to be here.¡±


    She remained silent, unsure of what to say, but he observed her only for a moment before turning away and walking off.


    To her relief, she didn¡¯t run into him again during her walks. She felt guilty because he had been nothing but kind to her, yet his presence intimidated her to the point where she found it hard to breathe in his mere presence.


    Despite the gentle pace of that peaceful routine, her days at the castle trickled by like slow drops filling a glass until it overflowed. Every time Rovenna thought about returning, her heart clenched even tighter, so painfully that she was certain she would stop hearing her own heartbeat at any moment, and all that would return to Nemertya would be nothing more than a shell of what she had once been.


    ¡°Courage,¡± she told herself. Her life with the Baron couldn¡¯t last forever. She had to survive and wait for her moment. She was still very young. Thanks to Eldrin¡¯s teachings, she would become stronger.


    It was the day before of the their departure that the Acolyte finally made his appearance.


    ¡°Rovenna! Where have you been? I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere!¡± he came running through the gardens. In the short time she had known him, Rovenna had never seen him so agitated.


    Under the impassive gaze of the elf women, the two of them sat down on a bench as he recounted everything he had seen in the castle, a bit different from Rovenna¡¯s experience since he had access to other areas along with the rest of the Masters.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not what¡¯s important,¡± he took a deep breath before continuing. ¡°Tonight, Lord Narthoss has agreed to grant me an audience.¡±


    Rovenna expressed her happiness for him. The wizard took her hands in his, though for some reason, the gesture didn¡¯t evoke any feelings in her, something she would have expected after all they had shared.


    ¡°I want you to come with me,¡± he said suddenly.


    ¡°Me?¡± Rovenna gasped.


    ¡°Lord Narthoss has asked me to bring a witness.¡±


    ¡°But why would he want a witness?¡±


    Eldrin seemed annoyed by the question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but if Lord Narthoss requests it, I¡¯m not the one to question his wishes.¡±


    They agreed to meet after the farewell dinner when everyone had already retired to their rooms.


    Rovenna was confused when he led her to the entrance of the castle and down the stairs to the stone dock. She had thought the audience would take place in the grand hall or another part of the castle, but in the end, they boarded one of the white boats that crossed the lake toward the trees.


    Curiously, the elf women didn''t do anything to stop, as she initially had thought, but maybe they were just following Narthoss instructions, which began to unsettle Rovenna.


    Unlike the first day, among the darkness the shapes of the trees now gave off a sinister air. At first, they could see something thanks to the lanterns hanging from the small houses of the elves who lived in the trees, but as they ventured deeper into the forest, the branches grew closer together, even blocking the moonlight.


    Her initial bad feeling grew bigger. She didn¡¯t understand why they had to go so far from the palace.


    Finally, the boat hit something that prevented it from continuing, surprising both of them. A series of lights began to ignite, coming from glowing stones arranged in a circle around a clearing where Lord Narthoss was waiting with his back to them.


    He was dressed in a wide silver robe, like the light of the full moon shining on him. There was a huge mirror standing behind him, framed by silver, intertwined branches. Despite the distance, the reflection of his violet eyes seemed to look directly at her. Rovenna wished at that moment that she had refused Eldrin''s invitation.


    The elf turned around. He didn¡¯t seem surprised to see Rovenna.


    ¡°Acolyte Eldrin,¡± he greeted, then bowed. ¡°Lady Rovenna.¡±


    It was the first time the elf had called her by her name, and it made her heart skip a beat. She nodded in response. Nothing was expected of her there except to be a witness.


    ¡°I greet the Lord of the Mirror Forest,¡± said Eldrin, bowing. ¡°And I deeply thank you for granted me the opportunity to speak with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not very common for someone to dare to request to be my apprentice,¡± the elf continued abruptly. ¡°What makes you think you can succeed?¡±


    ¡°I could speak of my abilities, but I know that wouldn¡¯t be enough. I¡¯m only human, and you are an elf lord with unmatched power. But if you would grant me the honor, I¡¯d be willing to do whatever it takes to surpass my limits.¡±


    ¡°Whatever it takes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to endure anything, any training, any obstacle you put before me, any pain. I¡¯m even willing to betray the Council and serve the elves!¡±


    ¡°Serve the elves...¡± watching the elf closely, Rovenna thought Eldrin¡¯s words had amused him.


    The elf remained silent for a moment before continuing.


    ¡°For me to accept your request, you must first pass the test of the Dark Mirror,¡± he turned his gaze to the mirror behind him.


    ¡°So... it¡¯s true, it really exists,¡± Eldrin¡¯s voice cracked, and his entire body began to tremble from head to toe.


    ¡°Then you know what you must do,¡± said the elf.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Eldrin said, slowly advancing toward the dark mirror.


    ¡°I warn you, it will be anything but pleasant. Death never is.¡±


    That word made Rovenna even more afraid. Was Eldrin going to die?


    ¡°Eldrin, wait!¡± she spoke without thinking. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Rovenna!¡± Eldrin¡¯s voice felt like a lash to her chest. ¡°You know nothing!¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want you to die!¡± Rovenna threw herself at him, tugging at his blue tunic. ¡°There is no power in the world that can be worth your life.¡±


    In response, she received a hard blow to the face that left her nose bleeding.


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    ¡°You foolish girl! How dare you stop me? You¡¯re nothing but the wretched wife of a noble who treats you like an insect! I did what I could with you! I even invited you out of pity when I could have asked any of the Masters! By the Nymph, you¡¯re an Astra! Did you think I didn¡¯t know? Of course, I knew! The only reason I helped you was because I wanted to measure the extent of your power and confirm if it was true that you had inherited your ancestors'' abilities, but I¡¯ve concluded that your family¡¯s blood has become very weak. No wonder your parents gave up and sold you like cattle.¡±


    With half of her face burning with pain, the first tears sprang from Rovenna¡¯s face, mixing with the blood dripping onto the grass. She made no attempt to get up and remained lying on the ground, wishing with all that was left of her bruised heart that the Nymph would grant her death at that very moment.


    Narthoss watched the scene attentively but without saying a word.


    Eldrin finally reached the mirror and lifted his eyes to see himself in it. In what felt like an eternity, Rovenna lifted her gaze but couldn''t see anything reflected in the mirror. Only darkness. However, when she focused on Eldrin''s face, his arrogant expression had vanished, replaced by terror, as if he were standing before a monstrous creature.


    ¡°No... this isn''t me,¡± he whispered loud enough for her to catch the words.


    ¡°No, not yet. It is what you will become,¡± the elf responded calmly.


    ¡°But... why? I don''t want to end up like this.¡±


    ¡°The Dark Mirror never lies. That is your destiny.¡±


    ¡°No! I can''t end up like this! What''s the point? After everything I''ve done, everything I want to do!¡± Eldrin turned to the elf. ¡°Please!¡±


    ¡°You said you''d do anything.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Then it''s time to prove it.¡± Narthoss turned his now dull violet eyes toward Rovenna. ¡°To avoid that fate, the Mirror requires a sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± Rovenna began to back away, terrified by Eldrin¡¯s crazed look as he raised his arms to unleash a blast of energy at her.


    At that moment, before the energy from the seal could hit her, a realization struck her hard.


    She didn''t actually want to die.


    Her body reacted accordingly. Her feet planted firmly on the ground, and with quick movements, her fingers traced the lines of the seal that Eldrin had made her practice until exhaustion, just to test her limits.


    Eldrin¡¯s blast collided with Rovenna¡¯s shield, but the impact was so strong that she was still pushed backward and her body sank into the dark waters.


    She had never swum in her life. With all her strength, she tried to push herself upward, but her foot had gotten caught in a root. Suddenly, a whirlpool began to form on the surface of the water, growing deeper until it reached her. The force of the whirlpool snapped the root holding her, but it ended up sucking her in, spinning her around until she lost all sense of direction. Eldrin was trying to drown her, and she couldn¡¯t defend herself.


    In a desperate move, she changed her strategy and stopped resisting the force of the whirlpool that wouldn¡¯t let her make any movements.


    It was Eldrin himself who had explained that if she could manifest her intention clearly, it wouldn¡¯t require as much effort to summon the seal. It would be enough to have it clear in her mind and to control the energy.


    There was no other way out,


    I want to live, I want to live, I want to live. As she repeated this to herself, the image of the seal formed in her mind, just like when, in her early years as an Initiate, she would write it over and over on the parchments.


    I want to live.


    It wasn¡¯t her best attempt, but the force that emanated from her hands was strong enough to propel her upward until her body burst out of the water, suspended in the air for a moment. Before falling back into the water, her hands reacted in time to grab onto a branch, leaving her body hanging with her feet in the air.


    Soaked and exhausted, unable to invoke a new seal in that position, Rovenna observed the astonished look on Eldrin¡¯s face and how, behind him, the elf tilted his head as if he were suddenly interested in what he was seeing.


    If she fell back into the water, Eldrin would attack her again in the same way, so, using her legs for momentum, she climbed onto the branch, and began crawling along it with a speed she had forgotten she possessed. Her childhood mischiefs in Nemertya, jumping across rooftops to escape punishments from her parents or other kids who tried to hurt her, was serving her well.


    She relied on the darkness to keep him from seeing her move through the branches, though she narrowly escaped several blasts that he began firing blindly into the dark foliage. When Rovenna was close enough, she wasted no time tracing the forms of the seal before dropping directly onto Eldrin and striking him with another blast.


    He managed to block it with a shield in time, but she didn¡¯t wait to attack again. Both of them rolled on the ground, but this time Rovenna wasn¡¯t fast enough to prevent Eldrin from pinning her down with his own body.


    She was at the limit of her strength when she saw the golden lines in the hand Eldrin was pointing at her neck. She closed her eyes, doing everything she could to free her hands and defend herself, while a voice in her head told her it was all over.


    Then everything stopped, and her desperate hands flailed in the air with nothing holding them back. She no longer felt the weight of Eldrin¡¯s body on her, and when she opened her eyes, she saw the elf restraining the Acolyte with one hand and throwing him away from Rovenna.


    Eldrin, confused and stunned, stared at the elf without being able to speak.


    ¡°I''ve seen enough," the elf said, while his dark gazed focus on Rovenna. ¡°Now it''s your turn.¡±


    Rovenna struggled to get up from the ground, feeling pain in every muscle of her body. She could no longer fight. The elf could kill her right there if he wanted to.


    ¡°My turn for what?¡± she let out a cry as she tried to straighten her back.


    ¡°To look into the mirror. Only then can you...¡±


    Rovenna was sick of listening to the elf, and didn¡¯t hold back from interrupting him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to look into the damned mirror, I don¡¯t want to kill anyone, and I surely don¡¯t want to be your apprentice,¡± she said, dragging herself along the ground in a pathetic manner but not without directing a furious glance at the arrogant creature before her.


    The elf raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°What is that you want then?¡±


    ¡°Peace!¡±, Rovenna shouted.


    The elf frowned.


    ¡°You want peace?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I want to be left alone!¡±


    ¡°I see...¡± Narthoss brought a hand to his mouth, looking thoughtful.


    ¡°If this is what you ask to study magic,¡± Rovenna continued, pointing at the mirror, ¡°then I don¡¯t have what it takes to be a wizard. So kill me or let me go!¡±


    The elf continued staring at her for what felt like an eternity until he finally said:


    ¡°Very well, I think you¡¯ll do.¡±


    Rovenna didn''t understand.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°From today, you¡¯ll be my apprentice,¡± the elf clarified.


    Eldrin''s scream didn¡¯t take long to follow.


    ¡°But, but she... she¡¯s an Astra!¡± despite herself, the accusing finger of the wizard hurt Rovenna as if a knife had been driven straight into her heart. ¡°Her family hunted chimeras!¡±


    The elf just kept looking at Rovenna.


    ¡°Girl, by any chance, are you hunting chimeras at the moment?¡± the elf¡¯s voice sounded as if he were trying to make a joke.


    ¡°Of course not!¡± she exclaimed, outraged.


    ¡°Then...¡± Narthoss turned his cold gazed to Eldrin. ¡°I don¡¯t see what the problem is.¡±


    ¡°My lord cannot be serious!¡±, screamed the Acolyte.


    The elf didn¡¯t even bother to look at him as he helped Rovenna to her feet and then moved his hand over her injured body. She felt the pain from her wounds subside as they miraculously healed and disappeared completely without leaving scars, as if they had never occured.


    ¡°You¡¯re here because of me!¡± Eldrin continued shouting at Rovenna. ¡°Everything you are now and everything you will be is thanks to me! Don¡¯t forget it! I¡¯ll tell the Baron what you¡¯ve done, and he¡¯ll put you in your place as the harlot you are!¡±


    ¡°You talk too much.¡± With a slight nod of his head, Narthoss make some branches to stretch out from the trees and wrap around the wizard from head to toe until they silenced his screams. The branches carried him to the boat, where they dumped him, and then it began to move on its own.


    ¡°Where are you taking him?¡± Rovenna asked.


    ¡°Out of the forest. I don¡¯t want him in my castle any longer. Since he arrived, my subjects have not stopped complaining about his rude manners and insolent questions.¡±


    ¡°Why did you choose me as your apprentice? I don¡¯t have enough...¡±


    Narthoss brought his head closer to the Rovenna, their foreheads almost touching.


    ¡°I chose you because it¡¯s my will.¡±


    Rovenna¡¯s lips trembled.


    ¡°And... and the trial?¡±


    The elf stood up straight again, and air returned to the girl''s lungs.


    ¡°Ah, that is just an excuse to scare the wizards. They always fall for it.¡± The elf''s lips curled as if he were about to smile. He looked at the mirror with disgust. ¡°I hate using this mirror. I should throw it away.¡±


    ¡°But what did Eldrin see?¡±


    ¡°His death.¡±


    ¡°I figured.¡±


    ¡°Although I couldn¡¯t say if what he saw was real... My twin brother Phrondyr always insists the mirror was created by the giant Yorgad as a joke for our grandfather.¡±


    ¡°So this was all just a game to you,¡± she said accusatorily.


    The elf tilted his head again. Rovenna had already figured out that he did this when something amused him.


    ¡°I was never going to let him kill you,¡± said he. ¡°I don¡¯t know how much of a bad reputation I have in the human kingdom, but I¡¯m not an elf who goes around shedding blood, at least not for fun.¡±


    ¡°But you let him attack me.¡±


    ¡°Consider it your first training session,¡± the elf smiled with his lips.


    Rovenna was exhausted. She had been mistreated by her old and disgusting husband, betrayed by the wizard she had given her friendship to, despised by her family and parents for as long as she could remember, and now this damned elf had used her for his own amusement.


    ¡°You¡¯re despicable!¡± she shouted at the elf.


    Narthoss¡¯ eyes widened before he let out a laugh that echoed among the trees.


    Despite her anger, Rovenna couldn¡¯t help but stare at him, her mouth open.


    The elf had laughed.


    And not just any elf, but the fearsome Lord of the Mirror Forest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember how many centuries it¡¯s been since I had so much fun,¡± he said, rubbing his eyes, but he soon returned to his enigmatic expression.


    He approached Rovenna and lifted her chin with his index finger. He looked directly into her eyes as if he could read everything hidden deep within her being. Her memories, her fears, her desires, even those she didn''t want to admit existed inside her.


    The uncomfortable sensation Rovenna felt in her stomach whenever the elf looked at her that way returned, and if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he seemed to be holding her up, she would have fallen to the ground due to the trembling in her knees.


    However, that ceased to matter once she saw the golden spirals spinning inside the elf¡¯s eyes.


    Ethereal Codes.


    The elf suddenly released her and moved away.


    ¡°Five years,¡± he said.


    Rovenna choked.


    ¡°Five years?¡±


    ¡°The wizard is right. Your power leaves much to be desired... but I think five years will be enough. I¡¯m never wrong with this. Are you coming?¡±


    ¡°Lord Narthoss, it¡¯s an honor... I...¡±


    ¡°As long as there are no other humans present, you may simply call me Narthoss...¡± With that, the elf turned and headed towards another boat that was floating on the water.


    ¡°What about Eldrin? He will...¡±


    ¡°In order to hide his own shame, he will never dare to tell what happened here tonight.¡±


    ¡°And my husband?¡±


    The elf let out a derisive snort.


    ¡°I¡¯m the Lord of the Mirror Forest. He will do as I say. He can choose between waiting for you or finding a new wife.¡±


    The great fear of causing a political conflict struck Rovenna, but she immediately dismissed it. She¡¯d rather drop dead right there than go through once again the torture of the last few months¡±.


    She looked in the direction of the thicket where Eldrin had disappeared before following the elf.


    Narthoss had gifted her five years.


    Five years.


    Five years to train her magic.


    Five years to become a Master.


    Five years to face her enemies and anyone who stood in her way.


    Including Eldrin.

 Chapter 49 - The old rivals

    Despite a lifetime of rivalries, conspiracies, even that first assassination attempt that had marked the beginning of their relationship, Rovenna had never imagined that her enmity with Eldrin would reach such an irreversible point. In some corner of her mind, she had always believed that something more than rancor remained between them, a spark of respect, perhaps even a vestige of the friendship of their first moments training with their magic.


    That man with the bloodied face before her now was but a shadow of that young Acolyte enthusiastic for knowledge who had at first dazzled young Rovenna.


    However, even with one eye missing, Eldrin had become even more dangerous because there was no longer anything to stop him from holding back. His position as Leader, his honor, his own name. Everything he once cared about had been lost. He was consumed by a deep darkness and turned into a creature driven by a rage that she knew could consume them both if she didn''t act careful.


    She wanted to appear confident, but her body was betraying her. The long ride had left its marks; she felt the weight of fatigue in every muscle and a sharp pain in her back. Her breathing, though controlled, was heavy, and a slight tremor in her hands indicated her accumulated fatigue that had worsened after the first attack. It was the wrong moment to be in such a state.


    But there was no more time to hesitate.


    After uttering her warning against Eldrin, the Master Arcanist gritted her teeth to prevent a hint of doubt from escaping them in the form of a tremor.


    A glint of mockery flashed in Eldrin''s eye.


    ¡°Everything you are now, Rovenna, is thanks to me and that unworthy elf you managed to seduce.¡±


    In response Rovenna''s lips curved into a contemptuous smile.


    ¡°You may be right, as far as Narthoss is concerned, but as for you I surpassed you long ago.¡±


    ¡°You''ve been nothing but lucky so far.¡±


    ¡°Tell that to all the wizards who saw you eat the dust in our last fight.¡±


    With a sudden movement, Eldrin extended both hands towards the ground. A rumble echoed through the earth, which began to shake violently beneath Rovenna''s feet. In a matter of seconds, deep fissures snaked toward her like hungry predators, seeking to destabilize her. Chunks of rock and earth rose into the air.


    With barely enough time to react, Rovenna stretched out her arms and with a smooth gesture summoned the force of a rising whirlwind whose force floated her into the air as it expanded pushing away the chunks of rock and Eldrin himself who needed to create a shield to prevent the whirlwind from sweeping him away, while being followed by sharp particles that almost smashed into him.


    Rovenna turned her head for a moment to where Olivia and Silas were supposed to be, but she could barely see them through the dust and debris swirling around them. Still she sensed the energy emanating from the chimera now turned human, much to Rovenna''s confusion who barely had time now to reflect on such a discovery.


    Despite the force of the whirlwind, Eldrin managed to position himself so that he concentrated his power on a point right in front of him, creating an invisible repulsive barrier that deflected the force of the wind in all directions. Upon contact with the whirlwind, the energy wave caused a burst of energy that forced Rovenna to create a shield to protect herself. That caused the wind to disintegrate, and a cloud of dust and debris fell on them.


    Rovenna''s heart thumped against her chest as if it wanted to shoot out. She took a deep breath as she looked at the heaving chest of Eldrin who had also been affected by the exertion of the attack.


    ¡°You know... if we keep going... neither one of us can... hold on like this... for so long,¡± she told him.


    ¡°Then... we will fight... until we both... fall.¡±


    Without wasting any time, Eldrin extended an arm to fire a dark orb at Rovenna. It wasn''t as powerful as the first one, but it was fast enough that she had to react quickly and summon a shield. She didn''t want to waste energy so as long as she could she would stay on the defensive.


    But Eldrin, knowing that and taking advantage of the time it took Rovenna to blast the orb against his shield, brought both palms together and then spread them apart in one swift motion. A golden, sparkling net expanded with astonishing speed, unfurling in the air like a death trap in which each thread of light vibrated with a lethal intensity that promised to cut and trap its prey.


    Before being hit by the net, Rovenna, with a gigantic effort, summoned a second shield to protect herself. The golden net slammed into the shield with a deafening sizzle, enveloping it with strands of energy that began to press hard, seeking to penetrate Rovenna''s defense. She felt the pressure building, the golden strands pressing harder and harder, threatening to tear through her protection and capture her in an instant.


    Eldrin did not stop his attack there. As Rovenna struggled to maintain the shield, he turned his wrist with a decisive gesture, and the golden net began to pulse, increasing the pressure and generating small energy discharges that sought any weakness in his opponent''s barrier.


    Rovenna knew she couldn''t keep it up forever and that her shield, though strong, was beginning to give way under the relentless strain.


    While she was deciding on her next attack, a huge stone shot towards Eldrin who had no difficulty dodging it and was pulverized against the golden strands.


    Rovenna turned her head to meet the determined gaze of the chimera Silas still standing next to Olivia''s sleeping body. The boy grabbed another stone with that huge bear hand that stood out against the rest of his human body and continued shooting at Eldrin without stopping.


    The Master Arcanist never thought she would ever see the day when a chimera would care for a human in such a way, let alone one trying to help her, albeit unknowingly, just her, a descendant of chimera hunters.


    They are young, she thought, and the young always think they can change things.


    And that was exactly why she had to do everything she could to survive Eldrin or die along with him.


    She could no longer hold back.


    She closed the fist of her left hand where several decades ago the elf Narthoss had made a cut with a dagger from which she still had a small scar, almost imperceptible to everyone but her.


    In the end, Narthoss, I will not be able to keep my promise.


    There was a reason why humans could not reach the same level as a magical creature. It was not that they lacked the potential to achieve it, but that their bodies were not prepared to handle such an extreme level of magical energy. In the face of the power of the Ethereal Codes, humans were like leaves floating dangerously above the flames.


    Had it not been for Narthoss, she would never have been able to reach that limit.


    But now she had to cross it, and there was no elf to protect her.


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    In an act of calculated desperation, she closed her eyes for an instant and stretched her hand skyward, channeling her energy into a single point. From her fingertips emerged a beam of pure light, which quickly solidified, taking the form of a glowing sword.


    The midday sky above them darkened.


    With fierce determination shining in her eyes, Rovenna gripped the sword with both hands and brought it down in a swift and precise arc. The luminous blade came into contact with the golden net, and a blinding spark lit up the entire battlefield as it sliced through the threads as if they were mere strands of silk that vanished into thin air, disintegrating into particles of smoke.


    Even so, Eldrin did not seem surprised by this demonstration of power that she had been keeping up her sleeve for so long.


    ¡°You have not been the only disciple chosen by elves.¡±


    After saying this, Eldrin himself extended his hand towards the sky in a movement identical to Rovenna''s and from his hand emerged a sword of light identical to hers.


    That was when she understood it all.


    ¡°All this time... you have been conspiring together with Daephennya.¡±


    Eldrin wielded his sword in Rovenna''s direction.


    ¡°Before you die, you must know that I have forgiven you.¡±


    ¡°You? Forgive?¡±


    ¡°If Narthoss had not chosen you, I would never have been accepted by Lady Daephennya, who is undoubtedly superior to her brothers.¡±


    Rovenna could not help but escape a bitter laugh


    ¡°You and I are but pawns in the elven game.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps... but of the two of us it is I who serves the winner of this game.¡±


    After uttering a defiant shriek, Rovenna lunged towards Eldrin. The blades of light sizzled in the air as they met. The impact resounded like thunder, causing a shockwave that forced both wizards to brace themselves tightly, sword against sword, to keep their balance.


    ¡°If you want us both to be consumed in fire, so be it.¡±


    Rovenna did not wait to try to thrust her sword into Eldrin''s chest but Eldrin deflected the attack at the last instant. The light from his own blade traced an arc through the air as he blocked the thrust and countered with a series of swift, lethal blows, each one aimed with cold, calculated malice. The duel became a frenzied dance of flashes that enveloped the two fighters.


    Rovenna was forced to retreat, blocking and deflecting his attacks, but each move required a huge effort. The weight of battle was beginning to take its toll on her exhausted muscles, and though her determination was unwavering, she knew they were both fighting against time. She launched an upward slash, seeking to break Eldrin''s guard, but he blocked it with ease, turning on his heels and launching a swift lunge towards her abdomen.


    Rovenna barely had time to dodge it, feeling the heat of the blade graze her side. Seizing the momentum, she spun again and launched a series of quick strikes, trying to take advantage of any gaps in Eldrin''s defense. One of her attacks finally found its mark, cutting Eldrin''s tunic and leaving him a wound from which a significant amount of blood began to flow.


    For a moment, hope swelled Rovenna''s chest.


    But Eldrin showed no signs of pain. With a cruel smile, he lunged forward with renewed ferocity, his sword descending in a relentless arc. Rovenna raised her sword to block, but the force of the impact staggered her. Eldrin took advantage of her hesitation and launched a lunge straight for Rovenna''s heart.


    She deflected the attack in time, but Eldrin, having foreseen that, quickly released a hand from which a small tip of light emerged and plunged hard into Rovenna''s abdomen.


    Time seemed to stand still as Rovenna felt her body split in pain and darkness began to envelop her as the energy from the lunge spread through her exhausted, old body. Her arms dropped like stones on either side of her body and her sword of light vanished into the air in tiny sparks.


    She closed her eyes. She had lost. Now at least she wished to leave in peace by sparing herself the image of triumph that shone in Eldrin''s one eye.


    Someone else would have to take over the kingdom from now on.


    As her soul sank into the shadows, she heard a soft voice calling out to her.


    Rovenna...


    ¡°Ha...¡±


    It couldn''t be, after so many years, in the end, she was going to die thinking about him.


    ¡°Narthoss...¡±


    What are you doing, Rovenna? I told you never to risk yourself like that. You have a duty to come back to me.


    ¡°You know I couldn''t stand by and do nothing... In the end, we''ll just have to wait until the end of time to see each other.¡±


    Don''t claim victory yet.


    The heat finished spreading throughout Rovenna''s body. Before long, her body would be consumed by flames and it would be as if she had never walked the face of the earth.


    However, the sensation was far from being as searing as she had feared. Perhaps it was death''s own mercy that spared her from experiencing that ultimate suffering.


    She felt Eldrin''s body crawl towards her, but she did not care.


    Now she could only feel peace.


    ¡°What''s this?¡± her adversary''s voice sounded puzzled. ¡°An elven seal?¡±


    Hearing those words, Rovenna was able to open her eyes just in time to observe how at the very spot where Eldrin had wounded her floated a golden seal, inside which were intertwined ancient symbols that Rovenna was unable to read but which reminded her of the books she used to study in the library of the White Tower as a young woman. The symbols formed an intricate pattern of finely drawn curves and lines that slowly moved, as if they had a life of their own, shifting position and forming new patterns as the circle spun like an intricate lock.


    She could not finish studying them because at the same moment that the mechanism seemed to stop, several flashes shot out like arrows and embedded themselves in various parts of Eldrin''s body, which fell to the ground emitting a choked shriek.


    Stunned, Rovenna watched as the arrows exploded into flames that completely engulfed her rival''s body until it was consumed like a piece of parchment that had been thrown into the fireplace.


    Eldrin screamed, but his voice faded in the roar of the energy that in a few seconds turned him into a silhouette of smoke and ashes that rose in spirals towards the sky and ended up dispersing until there was no trace of their existence.


    Having accomplished its task, the elven seal on Rovenna''s body reduced its intensity until it became a soft glow that was healing her wounds as she slowly felt her body regain strength.


    She then pressed a hand to her eyes.


    ¡°Damn Narthoss...¡± she moaned feeling a mixture of indignation and gratitude as she understood that the elf had been secretly experimenting with her body.


    Behind her, she felt footsteps approaching.


    ¡°He''s gone...¡± Silas said.


    Rovenna sighed as she rose from the ground.


    ¡°He''s gone back to the Origin.¡±


    The boy let out a snort.


    ¡°Even he can return to Origin?¡±


    She gave a wry grimace, understanding his indignation.


    ¡°As I understand it, we all come from the same place where we will one day return. That cannot be changed. I hope, at least, that he finds the peace he never had. Now...¡± Rovenna turned to Silas. ¡°My subordinates were helping with the fire that spread through the village but it won''t be long before they find us. You must leave now. I will try to delay my mission as long as I can, so as not to catch up with you.¡±


    ¡°I''m not going without Olivia.¡±


    Rovenna narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°You know what Olivia''s role in all this is, don''t you?¡±


    The boy didn''t answer, and Rovenna sighed.


    ¡°Well, I guess I owe you that.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Silas asked as Rovenna approached Olivia''s body, still unconscious on the floor.


    ¡°My name is Rovenna, and I belong to the Astra family.¡±


    ¡°That name means nothing to me.¡±


    ¡°Someday it will, and when that happens you will have to decide what to do with me. In the meantime, I will continue to work to atone for all the sins of my family,¡± Rovenna extended a hand towards Olivia''s head. ¡°My healing methods are not as effective as those of the sirenians but I can help her wake up.¡±


    It took longer than she thought, but after several minutes, the girl''s eyelids began to twitch until her two blue eyes widened.


    ¡°Silas?¡±


    ¡°Olivia!¡±


    ¡°You are safe... Spark?¡±


    ¡°She saved me.¡±


    ¡°Where are we now? You...¡± Olivia turned her startled eyes to Rovenna. ¡°Ma... Master... Arcanist?¡±


    ¡°Lady Olivia of Shadowrock¡± Rovenna smiled. ¡°The last time I saw you, you were a innocent child and now you are a fugitive.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to...?¡± Olivia didn''t have time to finish the question because Rovenna, with her recovered strength, lifted her off the floor.


    ¡°You will not be taken to the Council... although I would like to find out a couple of things... But there is no time. Your friend will explain everything to you, ¡°having said that, Rovenna whistled shrilly until hoofbeats were heard approaching. ¡°You will ride my horse, in that direction,¡± she pointed a finger to the east. ¡°Don''t stop for anything, not even after dark, until you reach Stormbrace. I will see to it that someone will assist you once you get there.¡±


    As soon as their horse reached them, Rovenna helped them on.


    ¡°I''d get that hand back to normal as soon as possible if I were you,¡± she gestured to Silas with her head.


    ¡°I...¡± the chimera shook his head as Rovenna slapped the horse''s haunches hard and it bolted off with Silas holding the reins and Olivia, still weak, sitting in front of him for support as he guided the horse.


    ¡°May the Nymph and the Dragon protect them,¡± Rovenna muttered, sitting down on the ground to wait for the arrival of the rest of the wizards as she watched the fugitives fading away in the distance.

 Chapter 50 - Stormbrace Port

    To say they would ride without rest was much easier said than done. Olivia tried, with much effort, to stay awake during the strenuous ride but her weakness forced her to remain in a lethargic state, with her head resting on Silas'' chest, who was doing his best to keep control of the horse with only one hand holding the reins while his portly bear claws held Olivia''s back, thus making sure the girl didn''t collapse. She internally lamented that she had become an annoying burden to him but for the moment she couldn''t fight her own body which was reluctant to cooperate. Every now and then she looked up and watched his golden eyes, dulled by a concern she could sense in the way his arms wrapped and tightened around her.


    As the hours passed, Rovenna''s horse also began to show signs of exhaustion until its canter was turning into a slow, staggering trot. Finally they had to accept that they could not go on like this. As much as they wanted to reach their destination as quickly as possible, forcing the horse to the limit would be a mistake that would cost them more time, and they found no better alternative than to stop at nightfall and take shelter under some bushes tall enough to hide under their branches.


    ¡°You sleep, I''ll keep watch,¡± Silas said after helping her to dismount carefully and lay her down on the ground. He tied the horse to a branch and sat down next to her with his eyes attentively observing the surroundings.


    ¡°You need to rest too,¡± Olivia told him, her half-closed eyes barely able to support the weight of her own eyelids.


    ¡°You''re the one who needs it the most. I''ll make you pay, don''t worry.


    Olivia gave a tired smile. It was unusual for Silas to adopt a teasing tone.


    However, she couldn''t go to sleep without first discussing what they would do once they reached Stormbrace. While they were riding, Silas had told her everything that had happened after her body had been possessed by Spark: the betrayal of the actors, the burning of the Town Hall, their escape through the fields, the encounter with Eldrin and the no less surprising appearance of the Master Arcanist herself, Rovenna Astra, that led to the confrontation that had culminated in the death of her lifelong mentor.


    She still couldn''t believe that Eldrin had vanished from the face of the earth like that. Of course she believed what Silas told her but her own life had suddenly become so unreal, so unrecognizable. Once he finished with his narration, she remained silent for a moment waiting for the pain to be born within her chest but the memories of her former teacher, who had initiated her in magic and had offered her valuable advice, no longer inspired any kind of feeling and were overshadowed by his undeniable betrayal. All her life, she had thought Eldrin was the person who understood and listened to her the most, while all that time he had only been conniving with Daephennya and turning her against her own father, who, despite his suffocating overprotectiveness and desire to control everything, had only tried to keep her safe from learning the tragic truth of her origin.


    But her father was also wrong because the secrets had not saved her. In fact, as she was discovering those little hidden pieces of her life, she felt as if something inside her was breaking apart to make way for an unknown force that threatened to swallow her whole.


    ¡°There''s something I haven''t told you yet,¡± said Silas, finally interrupting her thoughts. ¡°Just before he died, Eldrin mentioned something about an elven seal, and out of nowhere a bunch of weird symbols came out of Rovenna''s body and pierced his body.¡±


    Olivia couldn''t contain her amazement.


    ¡°I didn''t know Rovenna Astra could handle elven seals!¡±


    ¡°It didn''t seem like she was controlling them... rather they appeared without her doing anything.¡±


    ¡°But she was trained by Narthoss, the Lord of the Mirror Forest...¡±


    Silas wrinkled his eyebrows.


    ¡°You mean... your uncle?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes...¡± Olivia never had thought much of her two... well... uncles... who were nothing more than two strangers she had never met and who were also unaware of her existence. That must have been one of the reasons why her father had never wanted to take her on his travels, as he feared what the two elven lords might do if they found out about the existence of his half-human niece.


    ¡°Does that mean Narthoss is not on his sister''s side?¡±


    ¡°Ever since the Great Forest split into three parts it was known that there was some hostility between the siblings, even that they conspired against each other, but there are no records of them attacking each other so openly.¡±


    ¡°Until now...¡±


    Olivia nodded and Silas gave a mocking grimace before his gaze darkened.


    ¡°I never imagined coming out of the mountains would cause such a stir.¡±


    Olivia rested a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°It''s not your fault. This was brewing long before you and I were born, while others looked the other way.¡±


    He took a deep breath.


    ¡°As soon as the horse is rested, we should continue our journey as soon as possible. We don''t know how much Rovenna will be able to delay the rest of the wizards.¡±


    She cleared her throat.


    ¡°It''s amazing that you trust her.¡±


    He shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°She saved us.¡±


    ¡°I say that because she''s also a descendant of chimera hunters.¡±


    Silas'' chest heaved.


    ¡°Ah, but...¡± Olivia continued nervously. ¡°The Astra no longer hunt chimeras. They were punished by the Council... actually, I think she''s the only one of her family to become a wizard since the last war.¡±


    He pondered before answering.


    ¡°Now I understand what she meant earlier... before you woke up.¡±


    ¡°What did she tell you?¡±


    ¡°That someday I would have to decide what to do with her... and something about making amends for her family''s sins.¡±


    Olivia held her breath.


    ¡°And now that you know?¡±


    ¡°I''m not sure...¡± he sighed. ¡°I guess it''ll be a long time before I see her again... but... for some reason... I don''t feel angry with her... She even sounded ashamed... as if she felt obliged to take the blame.¡±


    That was good, Olivia thought, as she let out the air that had stuck in her throat, both relieved and amazed at the change that had been wrought in Silas while she was unconscious. Not only did he seem more determined, but his rancor towards humans had waned. Perhaps it had to do with the bear paw that had not yet disappeared although she suspected there must be something else, something to do with his knot. Still, it was too early to ask him about that. She would wait until he felt ready to talk.


    Relief, however, was overtaken by fear. So far their goal had been to reach Stormbrace but she wasn''t sure how they would manage to set sail for the Isle of Demons. They had no contacts and no money, since at some point Olivia had lost her purse with the meager coins she had saved. She wasn''t even sure how many ships would make it there. Very few humans were allowed on the island and all of them were wizards or important people. Some merchant ships were known to make it close to shore but their crews were forbidden to disembark, so they had to wait for representatives from the island to conduct business with the hybrids.


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    But that didn''t sound as difficult as getting Silas to go unnoticed once they reached the port, especially now that he had confessed to her that in a fit of rage he had destroyed the stone Dawn had created for him. Now with Olivia''s body weakened it was unlikely that either of the witches would manifest. Spark had warned them that it would be lethal to her.


    ¡°Destroying the stone was stupid, I know,¡± Silas admitted when she brought the situation to his attention.


    ¡°And why did you do it?¡±


    ¡°I''m tired of hiding, even though I know that sounds...¡±


    ¡°I''m tired of hiding too... Let''s hope that changes before too long,¡± Olivia brought her hands to the folds of her dress and tried to rip it.


    Silas grabbed her by the wrist, which caused Olivia to startle as she felt a wave of heat caused by the brush of his fingers on her skin.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We have to hide your hand. Bandage it as if you had a wound.¡±


    ¡°It won''t make any difference if we run into a wizard.¡±


    ¡°Then let''s hope we don''t run into one.¡±


    Despite Silas'' protests, Olivia managed to tear a long piece from the folds of her dress to cover the leg, trying not to squeeze it too tightly. With a lot of effort she managed to cover the whole thing but it was impossible to hide the difference in size between the two hands. If anyone asked, they would have to explain that it was a deformity. As for his golden eyes, there was nothing they could do, and she hoped that no one would relate it to the chimeras.


    Once the task was finished, as soon as her back touched the grass, she succumbed to exhaustion and finally closed her eyes. Although they were on the run, she felt safe with Silas, so she fell into a deep sleep, free of any dreams or nightmares that might torment her.


    When she awoke, the pale sky was beginning to tinge with golden hues from the first rays of sunlight peeking over the horizon. Silas was not at her side but when Olivia crawled out of the bush she saw that he was returning with the horse, which he had led to a small stream that ran nearby for water. He guided Olivia there to do the same before continuing on.


    Both of their stomachs were growling with hunger but they had no time to forage for food. They would have to hold on for a while. As soon as Silas was sure that Olivia could stand on her own, they got on the horse and galloped on.


    For the next few hours they barely spoke, both in fear of being pursued at any moment if they didn''t hurry. It didn''t take Olivia long to feel the fatigue of the journey and her legs gradually began to feel increasingly numb but she said nothing to him. She would just have to hold on a little longer.


    However, around noon Silas did seem to notice, as her body was about to slip out of his arms, so he stopped the ride and even though Olivia was resisting he made her get off to rest for a while.


    ¡°The horse also needs rest. We can''t keep up like this all day,¡± having said that he wandered off to inspect the surroundings and although he tried to find food he came back empty handed.


    Suddenly, as Olivia studied the horizon, her heart stopped when she saw something moving in the distance. As she warned Silas, he helped her up to start running away but just before getting back on the horse Olivia stopped him.


    ¡°Wait!¡± she squinted her eyes to distinguish that dark shape that advanced from one end to the other following the horizon line. ¡°It''s a carriage... and it doesn''t seem to be coming towards us.¡±


    In silence they kept watching the carriage as it continued on its way until it disappeared. Not long after, they saw another similar shape pass by that made the same route as the previous one. Others appeared but this time in the opposite direction to the previous ones.


    ¡°There must be a road!¡± exclaimed Olivia.


    ¡°So what do we do?¡± Silas was suspicious. ¡°It''s not like we can go that way. Someone will see us, and even if they''re not wizards, they''ll start asking us questions.¡±


    They decided to move on across the countryside but without getting too close for them to be seen. As the hours passed, they saw more carriages and wagons moving, also a group of horsemen of which they kept hidden fearing they were wizards or soldiers in pursuit.


    Night fell again on their second day on the run since they had said farewell to Rovenna. Olivia felt herself fading, not only from sleep, but also from hunger. Silas helped her hide in some bushes and decided to go out and try to hunt something. Of course, they couldn''t cook it, but she was willing to do anything at that point.


    During his absence, the girl was unable to sleep a wink and every rustle or flutter of night birds made her startle. Silas finally appeared, almost scaring her to death as he stuffed a piece of semi-hard bread into her mouth.


    ¡°B-b-b-but... how?¡± she said trying to speak with her mouth full as she scarfed down the bread in a few seconds because she was so famished.


    ¡°I found a travelers'' camp.¡±


    ¡°You''re crazy!¡± Olivia scolded him, lowering her voice as if she feared someone might be nearby.


    Silas appeared unconcerned.


    ¡°They didn''t discover me, so they must not be wizards. I had to wait a bit until I could steal something without being seen.¡±


    When Olivia was done with the bread, he held out a piece of cheese and then an apple. Meanwhile, he slowly ate another piece of bread, the last of it.


    ¡°Don''t give me all the food! Don''t be silly!¡±


    Again, he ignored her.


    ¡°You need it more than I do. You''ve lost a lot of energy that you''ll only regain by feeding yourself. I can hold out a little longer. Oh... and I have good news.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°While waiting for the travelers to go to sleep, I overheard their conversation. One of them mentioned that they were two days'' journey from Stormbrace.¡±


    Two days... that seemed like an eternity at the time.


    Like the day before, they set out as soon as dawn broke, taking care not to get too close to the road. They had to stop from time to time, sometimes to rest, sometimes to hide from the travelers advancing along the road. At night neither of them was able to sleep. Olivia convinced Silas that he should not risk being seen again so close to their destination, and Silas agreed with her.


    The next day, tired but seething with anxiety, they resumed their march, which continued at much the same pace. There wasn''t an inch of Olivia''s body that didn''t ache but the hope that burned in her chest helped to ignore the pathetic state of her body.


    As the sun set, a cold breeze picked up, carrying with it a thick, pungent aroma of salt, seaweed and fish.


    The scent of the sea.


    Keeping out of the way, Silas and Olivia moved forward without worrying that night was bearing down on them. Without even talking, they had both agreed to continue despite the darkness.


    Suddenly, Silas screamed.


    ¡°A light!¡± he brought the horse to a sudden halt, and although Olivia could no longer see his face, she could hear the tone of triumph in his voice.


    ¡°It''s the lighthouse!¡±, she exclaimed.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°A light used by ships to guide them at night. We must follow it!¡±


    They continued to move forward in the darkness until the glow grew stronger and stronger and the tip of the lighthouse began to peek out as they got closer. The wind was intensifying and crashing against their exhausted bodies. When Olivia heard the distant roar of the waves crashing against the rocks, she told Silas that it was best to continue on foot, as they could see the path was becoming increasingly uneven, full of small loose stones and wet grass.


    Amazed, they watched as the glow of the full moon they had seen rising on that last part of the journey illuminated the ripples of an immense dark sea. The silvery reflection spread across the water like a veil caressing the surface. When they finally approached the edges of the cliff, the ends of which curved into a wide bay, they gasped at the sight that unfolded before them.


    From the top, they observed the stone houses, many of which appeared to have been dug directly into the rock of the cliff, blending into the natural structure as if they had emerged from the rock itself. Others, on the contrary, seemed to defy gravity, on the edge of the cliff, with balconies hanging dangerously over the abyss. Like distant stars shone the twinkling lights coming from inside the houses, as well as the lanterns that illuminated the narrow bridges and walkways that connected the different levels of the port, zigzagging down the cliff wall, towards the heart of the bay, where amidst a dark tangle of docks and barges, one could guess the shadows of the ships, with their sails gathered and their skeletal masts, floating among the agitated waters.


    At the southern end of the bay, opposite where they stood, loomed the imposing lighthouse, a stone tower spiraling upward, culminating in a reddish glow that cast itself over the waters, intermittently illuminating the waves crashing against the rocks.


    Olivia''s eyes flooded with tears. All her life she had heard and read about Stormbrace Port and it seemed so unreal to find herself there. Emotion led her to take Silas'' hand without realizing it and he, perhaps equally overwhelmed, intertwined his fingers with hers until they were joined in a strong grip that did not end until sleep began to invade their bodies and they were forced to lie down on the grass to get some sleep before going down to the port, which they did as soon as the sun came up.


    In the daytime, when they opened their eyes again, the view was no less impressive. As the first rays of dawn illuminated the dark blanket of the sea to a leaden gray and then a deep blue, the houses carved into the rock of the cliff were acquiring shades that mingled with various shades of red and green dotted among the rocks.


    From the top they could also observe how the port was coming to life as its inhabitants began to wander through its narrow streets to carry out their first activities. Between the docks, the white furled sails were waiting ready to be unfurled, while the tiny silhouettes of some sailors were already walking on deck, getting ready to set sail.


    Olivia was sure it would be one of them who would take them to their final destination.


    Or, at least, she hoped...

 Chapter 51 - The new friend

    Like every morning since he was eight years old, Milo woke up in his hideout which was nothing more than a small hollow located in a fairly high area of the cliff and hidden among bushes. The space was not very wide, barely enough to lie down and rest for a few hours but that was all he needed. He had found it by chance during his explorations of the city, after his father set sail for the islands never to return, and it had since become his secret refuge.


    Of course, four years later, his body had grown quite a bit and the gap was getting smaller and smaller. One more growth spurt and he would have to find another place to sleep. Even then he could barely stretch and needed to wiggle like a worm to make his way outwards.


    However, when he stuck his head out, he remembered why he liked to wake up there: the priceless sense of freedom offered by that unique view of the port with its stone houses stretching down and the ships bobbing gently in the bay. On the docks the fishermen were returning with the day''s catch, the merchants were opening their stalls and a group of crew members were preparing to set sail.


    He breathed in the fresh spring morning air to clear his head. His stomach soon began to growl, and from the pockets of his old, gnawed pants he pulled out a few pieces of dried meat that would help him calm his hunger for the time being.


    Having finished his breakfast, he descended the rocks until he reached the courtyard of a house. Then he climbed quickly up a wall covered with vines, jumped over the top and landed on his feet on the stone street.


    At that early hour there were not many people moving around the neighborhood, so he took advantage of it and at full speed began to descend the steep streets. His footsteps echoed among the buildings as he crossed narrow bridges and footbridges that snaked between the houses on the cliff. He knew all the shortcuts in town so it didn''t take him long to reach the area around the docks where the smell of salt and fish grew thicker and thicker, as did the sound of seagulls fluttering over the bay.


    His first job of the day was to help the fishermen who, like every day, greeted him without many words as they unloaded the fishing nets and carried boxes of fresh fish to the stalls. Like many children his age, Milo was a recurring character in the port. Many of them worked to help their families but there were also those like him whose parents had died or raised anchor without looking back.


    They were children of the port. They had no home of their own and no family waiting for them at the end of the day. They had learned to survive on their own. The port, with its chaos and incessant rhythm, was their home. They were tireless workers but also free spirits. They were part of the landscape, always on the move, scurrying between boats and stalls.


    Many of the adults who worked there had once been children of the port who had suffered the long nights of cold and hunger, so they could not help but feel sympathy for those children, and through the generations, invisibly linked by a common past, a network of solidarity had grown up among the inhabitants, unusual for most human cities.


    This manifested itself in small acts. The fishermen would offer every now and then some coin or piece of leftover food and there was always a place by the fire in their huts for those who had nowhere to sleep. The baker used to leave a basket of bread from the previous day by the back door for the early risers, as did one of the merchants who always brought exotic products from other lands and then left ¡°forgotten¡± a box with the less attractive but still edible fruits. The owners of a tavern by the docks, no questions asked, always had a bowl of soup ready for any of the children who entered their kitchen on an empty stomach. Then there were people of various trades such as blacksmiths and carpenters who taught their trade to anyone willing to learn.


    The children, reluctant to be pitied, earned these favors with work. They helped stack boxes, clear decks, or run quick errands. They knew how to move through the crowds unnoticed, and often took care of the most urgent errands, the ones that adults couldn''t leave out but also didn''t have time to attend to. They were quick, resourceful, and knew when to speak and when to keep quiet. Milo, like most of them, had learned to read the unspoken language of the port: a gesture from a merchant assuring them of a well-paying job, the glance of a fisherman watching the storm coming in from afar, and the lingering silence in a corner of the dock where something seemed to go wrong.


    Among the children, there was an implicit sense of community. Despite competition for work and resources, they looked out for each other. They shared what they could, exchanged tips on the best places to get food or how to avoid guards and wizards when things got complicated. Although Milo was one of those who kept more apart from the group, he had always been willing to help out in a time of need, such as when one of them got sick or hurt and needed to be taken to a healer.


    That day was not going to be very different from many others. Having finished his work with the fishermen, he took, as usual, a short break, sitting on the edge of one of the docks, watching the flight of the seagulls while eating a piece of soft bread and an apple that had been given to him. By then the port was in full swing with vendors organizing their wares and buyers making their rounds. Conversations and shouts echoed amidst the murmur of the small waves.


    His next job would involve helping the shopkeepers load the carts with fresh produce to be sold throughout the city, from the more modest neighborhoods to the more affluent areas where daily deliveries of food and other household goods were expected. Milo was one of those who made those deliveries and thanks to his knowledge of the streets he was one of the fastest. He also took advantage of those runs to deliver messages. It was a much more tiring job but it allowed him to earn a few coins that at nightfall he would keep in a bag well hidden at the bottom of his hiding place.


    In the beginning, when he was a whiny and inexperienced child, he had spent his first coins right away but as time went by he had learned to save and only dared to use some of them in cases of extreme necessity. What was he saving for? He still wasn''t sure. Many of his peers were already planning to make a living in some trade but he didn''t see any future for himself.


    Depending on the success of his activities, he would decide at nightfall whether he would hang around the tavern for a while to listen to stories of sailors or pirates who had arrived clandestinely, perhaps even get valuable information about the movements of ships that he could sell to other traders or smugglers.


    Sometimes he would take some time off to drop by the captaincy where he was well received, but lately he did so less and less due to the insistence of Dhabeos Myrkan, the port captain, who, concerned about the fate of the orphans, had entrusted himself with the mission of finding them a temporary home and educating them in the new school that his wife had created right next to the captaincy. Despite appearances, Milo liked Dhabeos, but if he continued to insist on sending him to school, he would have no choice but to continue ignoring him.


    He did not want to hear anything related to it and therefore still chose his refuge in the heights, since there was always the risk that the couple would catch him and sit him at those ridiculous tables and force him to spend hours in front of a mountain of books. He did admit the importance of reading and writing, as well as dealing with numbers, skills that had been taught to him by the innkeeper''s wife, but that he had only learned as a necessity for survival. Everything else, strange languages, history, music and other ridiculous things, seemed unnecessary and did not help him in his daily life.


    Dhabeos had even proposed him to join some crew or to train as an officer but that meant to be under the command of others and that contradicted everything Milo had believed so far. He had become so accustomed to his freedom and there was nothing and no one in the world that would push him to give it up.


    He finished his meal and began to leave the dock behind in the direction of the market at that moment overflowing with people. The aroma of spices, freshly baked bread and fresh fruit mingled in the air. At each stall customers haggled with the merchants, hawkers shouted up and down the street, a group of women loudly shared gossip, and children like himself scurried past on their way to fulfill an errand or carrying boxes and baskets.


    Several acquaintances nodded at him. There were a few strangers, some simple merchants, others with suspicious looks that made him wonder if they might not be pirates or even sirenians who were sometimes rumored to visit the port. There were also foreigners, though very few, from distant lands who did not stay long in the port since their desire was to explore the interior of Terrarkana in search of the legendary beings whose stories plied the seas and attracted new adventurers.


    He was already close to the establishment where he was supposed to show up that day when from a narrow alleyway he heard the sobs that made him stop in his tracks. Once he turned his head he saw a person crouched on the ground with her head buried between her knees and her body trembling slightly with each gasping breath. She looked so small and thin but to Milo she didn''t look very young. Her coal black hair was short but it didn''t take him long to realize that she was a girl, for she was wearing a ragged, stained dress whose frayed folds barely covered half her calves.


    Her state reminded him of those early days alone in the port in which he had been forced to survive and not knowing if he would ever see his father again. His stomach knotted and before he could think about what he was doing he walked over to the sobbing figure and shook a shoulder.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± he asked.


    The girl, frightened, raised her head and two large eyes the color of the blue sea opened in the direction of Milo who felt as if that gaze had shot him straight in the heart.


    She watched him from head to toe, which caused him to feel more self-conscious and even ashamed of his own appearance. He hadn''t bathed in several days and as he nervously ran a hand through his red hair he could feel a faint layer of grease clinging to his fingers and had no choice but to wipe it off on his own clothes whose smell he had grown accustomed to but must have been worse than that of a stray dog.


    She did not, however, give him any contemptuous glances as the rest of the girls of his age who wandered through the marketplace tended to do. She wiped her eyes with her sleeves and gave a faint smile.


    ¡°I''m fine, thank you.¡±


    She hunched her shoulders again, as if waiting for him to leave, but Milo didn''t move. Again he could not look away. He could sink into those deep eyes and just float there for hours.


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    The silence of the alley and her quizzical look forced him to react.


    ¡°Do you need any help?¡±


    She shook her head.


    ¡°I''m fine, thank you, you can go.¡±


    But Milo wasn''t going to give up just like that.


    ¡°I''ve never seen you here before.¡±


    ¡°I''ve never been down to the port. I live up there, ¡± she shook her head upward.


    ¡°I know the entire city. If I''d seen you up there, I''m sure I''d remember.¡±


    ¡°I don''t think it''s possible for you to know the entire city. We''ve just never crossed paths. That''s all.¡±


    Milo furrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°What''s the captain of the port''s name?¡±


    The girl didn''t answer.


    ¡°Sure, you never go down to the port, so you probably wouldn''t know,¡± Milo smirked. ¡°Then I''ll make it easier for you. Where is the City Hall? If you live uptown you should have passed it a thousand times.¡±


    She bit her lip as she realized she had been caught in her lie.


    ¡°I see... you''re not from around here,¡± Milo continued. ¡°Did you come by land or by sea?¡±


    She let out a long sigh as if realizing that it was no longer worth resisting.


    ¡°By land.¡±


    ¡°Alone?¡±


    ¡°With a friend.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Milo would have preferred her to be alone. ¡°And where is she... or he...?¡±


    ¡°He is waiting for me... but...¡± sadness again invaded her eyes that immediately filled with tears and as she continued speaking she seemed to forget that she was in front of a stranger. ¡°I don''t know how I''m going to look him in the face now.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    The girl let out a sob.


    ¡°I... lost... the horse.¡±


    ¡°Your horse? How did you lose it?¡±


    She continued to speak haltingly as if she was having trouble breathing.


    ¡°I was... going... to... sell it... at... the... market... but... I was... tricked... and it... it... it... was... they stole it!¡± she finished speaking before bursting into tears.


    ¡°It''s all right,¡± that wasn''t at all uncommon, especially when it happened to newcomers like her.


    Milo also guessed from her neat, smooth hands and pearl-toned skin that her origins were not humble. It must have been very easy for the swindler to deceive her. It was obvious from a distance that she lacked the knowledge necessary to survive on the streets. She had been lucky that he had found her in time before another man approached to take advantage of her again.


    He waited for her to finish crying before speaking again.


    ¡°If it''s food you want, I can help you.¡±


    ¡°No... it wasn''t just for food... although I am very hungry... I needed the money for something more important.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    She didn''t answer and Milo didn''t insist because he understood he had to gain her trust first.


    ¡°You don''t have to tell me now,¡± he continued. ¡°Let''s go get something for you to eat. You can''t think on an empty stomach.¡±


    She looked at him in surprise.


    ¡°But... why do you want to help me?¡±


    Because someday, I don''t know when or how, I will marry you, Milo thought.


    ¡°I am a son of the port,¡± he beat his chest proudly as he said that.


    ¡°I don''t know what that means.¡±


    ¡°We children of the port take care of each other.¡±


    ¡°But I...¡±


    ¡°You have no one who can help you at the moment so you are as much a child of the port as I am, besides your friend who must be in the same situation.¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°What''s your name?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Milo.¡±


    ¡°Cute name.¡±


    She sounded sincere, which melted Milo''s heart, although her tone resembled that of a mother talking to a little boy and he had to show her that he was already a man.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°Olivia.¡±


    Beautiful. Milo''s heart felt like a rowdy bird inside a cage yearning to fly away to freedom.


    ¡°Your name is cute too,¡± he replied, feeling the heat in his cheeks that worsened as he watched her smile at him.


    He cleared his throat.


    ¡°All right,¡± he said as he turned around. ¡°Let''s go find your friend and then...¡±


    ¡°He''s hiding. We must take the food to him.¡±


    ¡°Why is he hiding?¡±


    She avoided answering again.


    ¡°If you don''t tell me, I won''t know how to protect you.¡±


    ¡°Protect me? You?¡± however, in the face of Milo''s determined gaze, Olivia sighed wearily. ¡°He can''t go near the wizards.¡±


    ¡°Are the wizards looking for him?¡±


    ¡°I can''t tell you anything else.¡±


    ¡°That will do for now. But your friend has nothing to worry about as long as he stays close to the docks. Wizards never come down here unless they have to sail on a mission, and when that happens they make such a fuss about their presence that it''s hard not to notice them. They don''t like to mix with the sailors.¡±


    She sighed in relief.


    ¡°That''s a good thing.¡±


    ¡°You will have to avoid the uptown.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    As promised, it didn''t take them too long to get some food, although this time Milo decided to skip the charity and spend one of the few silver coins he had in his pocket for contingencies. With that they got a basket full of fruit, bread, cheese and ham, as well as a bottle of milk. That was a day of great monetary loss for him since he had fulfilled his errands with the vendors, but he did not intend to spare any expense now that he had found a damsel in distress whom he had to rescue.


    He took it upon himself to carry the basket while she led him to an area away from the docks, past the fishermen''s huts, to a small cave among the rocks of the cliff. That was a lousy place to hide and if there had been wizards nearby they would have found them right away. It was also a place that flooded very easily when the tide came in.


    But now Olivia counted on Milo and she had nothing to worry about. He would take care of everything.


    As long as that stranger hiding in the cave didn''t thwart his plans.


    ¡°Silas... this is Milo. Milo, this is Silas,¡± said Olivia introducing them.


    ¡°Why did you bring him?¡± Silas replied angrily, a boy perhaps the same age as Olivia, tall, stocky and with a messy mane of hair whose curls shot in all directions. However, what caught Milos'' attention the most were his golden eyes. He had never seen such a color. Maybe he had come from abroad. Equally striking was one of his hands, covered with pieces of cloth, which seemed to be much larger than the other.


    So he was deformed. Perfect. Milo already had an advantage.


    ¡°He helped me!¡± Olivia exclaimed.


    ¡°Have you already forgotten what happened the last time we trusted someone?¡±


    ¡°But he''s just a little boy!¡±


    That comment stuck in Milo''s heart like an arrow, but he thought it was more mature to keep quiet and pretend he wasn''t bothered.


    ¡°And what happened with the horse?¡± Silas asked.


    Olivia went on to tell him in embarrassment how she had been swindled at the market.


    ¡°I knew I had to go with you!¡± Silas burst out.


    ¡°And what would you have done?¡± Olivia protested, ¡°You know less than I do about such matters!¡±


    So he must have been of high birth too, Milo surmised as he listened to them. Highborn people didn''t usually worry about money and let their servants take care of the shopping.


    ¡°What are we going to do with him now?¡± Silas asked, ignoring Olivia''s question.


    ¡°Well...¡± Olivia looked in the direction of Milo who finally decided to intervene. He had been quiet all that time watching with delight how they didn''t seem to get along at all, so they must not be lovers. Although he had seen couples fighting in the street a few times so he couldn''t rule out suspicion yet.


    ¡°You can''t stay here,¡± said Milo. ¡°I''ll take you somewhere safe where you can rest and think calmly.¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to help us?¡± asked Silas suspiciously.


    ¡°I am a son of the port.¡±


    Since Silas didn''t know what that meant either, Milo had to explain everything again.


    But Olivia''s supposed friend was still not convinced.


    ¡°And that''s the only reason?¡±


    ¡°You''re running away from wizards and I don''t like them. My enemy''s enemy is my friend.¡±


    ¡°That...¡± Silas remained thoughtful for a moment. ¡°It seems to make sense somehow.¡±


    ¡°Perfect, then follow me,¡± Milo headed for the cave entrance but Olivia stopped him.


    ¡°We can''t go out now in the daytime... Silas can''t show his face...¡±


    Besides being hideous, he was a fugitive, one more point in Milo''s favor.


    ¡°I''ll be right back, wait here,¡± with that said, Milo ran off in the direction they had come from until he reached the tavern where he asked the owner to lend him a pair of cloaks for a while, promising to return them the next day.


    A short time later he found himself leaving the cave with Olivia and Silas with their faces hidden under their hoods.


    ¡°Where are you taking us?¡± whispered Silas.


    ¡°You''ll see. And walk normally if you don''t want to attract more attention.¡±


    Milo led them to a house located in an area far from the hustle and bustle of the port, accessible only by a steep path that wound dangerously along the edge of the cliff, flanked by jagged, moss-covered rocks. Care had to be taken as the wind made it difficult to keep one''s balance in certain sections. Milo knew this path very well and advanced steadily, albeit slowly, taking Olivia''s hand from time to time to prevent her from continuing to lean on Silas.


    The house was small and was hidden by a rock formation that protected it from the strong winds. It was a simple building of gray, weathered stone and black shingles. It belonged to a ship captain, widowed and childless, who was currently traveling in the northern islands and would not appear there again until autumn. It was the perfect shelter although Milo had preferred not to use it because he didn''t like sleeping indoors or occupying other people''s homes but for Olivia''s sake he was willing to break several rules.


    Pushing with effort the old wooden door they were met by a modest looking interior, dimly lit by light filtering through small windows that offered them a view of a vast ocean. The furnishings were simple: worn wooden chairs and table and a stone fireplace in the main room that appeared to be used for cooking as well. Above the fireplace was a collection of polished stones and shells. In one corner were pots, pans, a barrel, bags of grain and dampened herbs.


    ¡°A house! I can''t believe it,¡± Olivia exclaimed excitedly, as if she had never seen one before, and then set about inspecting the bedroom and a loft accessed by a simple wooden ladder.


    Milo had his head in the clouds for seeing her so happy.


    For the rest of the day they spent airing out the house and removing the dust that had formed a dense layer after the captain''s long absence. When night fell they dined on the leftover food Milo had bought them. As they ate, Olivia kept nodding off so Milo insisted that she lie down in the bedroom. She didn''t want to be the only one using the bed but Silas also insisted and Milo was relieved that he didn''t want to spend the night in the same bed as her.


    So with Olivia snoring in the next room, Silas and Milo stayed awake for a while after agreeing on the corner where they would each sleep. After so long sleeping happily outdoors, Milo no longer felt like going back to his tiny cave.


    ¡°What are you looking at, boy?¡± in the moonlight Milo saw Silas'' face crumple after having spent some time watching him carefully, thinking he hadn''t noticed.


    ¡°I''m twelve years old, I''m not a child. And you... you''re truly ugly.¡±


    He only wanted to provoke him but, to his surprise, he didn''t get the reaction he expected.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± answered Silas. ¡°Thank you. I''ve been meaning to explain it to Olivia but she doesn''t seem to believe me for some reason.¡±


    Then Olivia thought Silas was handsome. Sadly, one point for him.


    Despite that, Milo felt encouraged to continue.


    ¡°Your eyes are the color of urine. I''ve never seen such grotesque eyes and your hair... it looks like a bunch of straws. And your hand...¡±


    ¡°You didn''t need to tell me all that, just telling me I''m ugly was enough.¡±


    ¡°What''s with you and Olivia?¡±


    Silas stirred uneasily under the cloak he had covered himself with.


    ¡°What does that have to...?¡±


    ¡°Are you two engaged?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± he was silent for a moment. ¡°Well... for a while... we had to pretend but... no... we''re nothing... I suppose... we''re... just... friends...¡± he said it as if he had just realized. ¡°We are friends.¡±


    Milo sighed as he settled on a pile of nets he had found piled up in the loft.


    ¡°That''s fine. As long as you''re not competition, then we can be friends too.¡±

 Chapter 52 - The trust

    Sunbeams streamed brightly through the window curtains as Olivia awoke in the bed of the small stone house. At first she struggled to remember where she was as memories of the previous day slowly surfaced in her mind: the cave, the search for ships, the horse, the scam, the boy.


    Startled, she raised her head. From the main room she heard no movement. Perhaps Silas and Milo were still asleep, although by the intense light it must have been quite late.


    But they couldn''t keep wasting more time. It had already been two days since they had arrived at the port and all she had managed to do was wander the streets and be swindled. Silas had wanted to accompany her but his golden eyes were already too striking for normal people and they couldn''t risk running into some wizard. It had been a miracle that they had met Milo and that he had been so willing to help when he knew nothing about them.


    The very same thing she had thought when they had met The Walking Dreamers.


    She jumped off the bed only to fall backwards onto the mattress after getting tangled in the shreds of her own dress and losing her balance. She had become confident as she felt much more rested than she had been the last few days since they had fled the village but her legs still felt heavy as if they were in shackles. She tried to get up carefully and shuffling her feet she made her way to the room where she only found Silas standing with his back to her and his arms resting on the window sill overlooking the vast blue sea.


    He had changed his clothes. This time he was dressed in a manner similar to the sailors she had seen working on the docks: a loose white shirt, dark pants, cinched with a simple cloth belt, and a pair of worn leather boots.


    Milo must have gotten him those clothes but there was no sign of the boy at the moment.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± she said, and Silas turned around with his intense golden eyes looking her up and down. A few strands of his long, sunlit hair floated in the cool breeze coming through the window, which, coupled with his attire, added a fearless touch, similar to what Olivia imagined when she read about the heroes in her novels.


    She held her breath.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked in a neutral tone that did not show any concern, though Olivia wanted to believe he was just trying to hide it.


    ¡°Ah...¡± she blinked. ¡°Much better... I really needed a good night''s rest.¡±


    He pursed his lips and looked down.


    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± she asked.


    He pursed his lips even tighter before answering, as if he was about to confess something he knew would upset her.


    ¡°It wasn''t just one night... You slept for two whole days.¡±


    It took the girl a moment to process what he was telling her.


    ¡°Two days... two days... Two days? Silas!¡±


    He sighed and rolled his eyes.


    ¡°I shouldn''t have told you.¡±


    ¡°How could you let me sleep for two days when the Council could be arriving at the port at any moment?¡± she exclaimed angrily.


    ¡°You needed rest,¡± he pointed out firmly. ¡°Your body must still be feeling the effects of the witches'' power.¡±


    ¡°But still...¡±


    ¡°It''s no use trying so hard if you can collapse at any moment.¡±


    ¡°I''ll rest when we''re on the ship!¡±


    ¡°About that... I''ve spoken to Milo.¡±


    ¡°And what did he say?¡± anxiety crept into Olivia''s voice.


    ¡°He didn''t know of any ship sailing to the island at the moment... but he told me that as soon as he knew something he would come and let us know. He should be here soon, it''s almost lunchtime.¡±


    As Silas predicted, Milos showed up shortly after with a basket of food.


    ¡°You woke up!¡± the boy exclaimed once he saw her, his eyes shining with joy. ¡°Finally!¡± he put the basket on the table. ¡°I hope you''re hungry because I''ve brought you lunch.¡±


    As soon as Olivia heard that, her stomach began to cramp.


    ¡°Thank you, Milo, that''s very kind of you... but I think we''re giving you a lot of trouble.¡±


    Milo ignored her and started lighting the fire with some dry kindling that he had probably collected at some point while Olivia slept. Soon afterward the smell of bacon and fried eggs flooded the room. He had also gotten a loaf of bread, a large piece of cheese, milk and fruit. Olivia''s eyes filled with tears as if she were standing at the table of a huge feast in Shadowrock Castle.


    As they set everything on the table, Milo asked her:


    ¡°Did you like any of the dresses?¡±


    ¡°Dresses?¡± Olivia hadn''t had time to go through the clothes he had left piled on the chairs, but at his insistent eyes she began to study the garments more closely. Almost all of them were women''s clothes, except for a few others that Silas had discarded for being too small.


    ¡°These will do,¡± Olivia replied, grabbing a pair of pants, a shirt and a blue vest before Milo''s confused gaze. ¡°Though I would also need a pair of boots...¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    Olivia blushed with embarrassment at the thought of all the effort it must have taken him to get those beautiful colorful dresses.


    ¡°The dresses are very uncomfortable for traveling...¡± she apologized. ¡°I''m sorry you waste so much time...¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± replied Milo, raising both hands to play it down. ¡°They were given to me by an old dressmaker who owed me a couple of favors... that''s all... So...¡± he tilted his head and looked at her strangely. ¡°You don''t like dresses?¡±


    ¡°I like them... I just don''t like to wear them all the time, especially since I started my journey with Silas.¡±


    The chimera had remained silent throughout the conversation, busy scarfing down his lunch with a voracious appetite that earned him a disapproving glance from Milo.


    ¡°Leave some for the rest of us!¡± he scolded.


    Olivia laughed and began to pick up a piece of each item.


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    ¡°Silas told me you were talking about the ships going to the island.¡±


    ¡°Ah...¡± Milo''s eyes seemed to dim for a moment. ¡°I may have found out something...¡±


    She noticed that he was reluctant to share the information although she didn''t understand why.


    ¡°We need to find out, we can''t be here any longer,¡± she insisted, feeling increasingly guilty for depending on someone so young.


    ¡°Do you have to leave so quickly?¡± it was more of a plea than a question and the girl felt her own heart clench. He was a street child...or son of the port as he had so proudly introduce himself but still he must feel very alone in the world. Just like Silas when she met him.


    But as much as it weighed on her, the life of a chimera was in danger.


    ¡°If we stay here, the wizards will get Silas.¡±


    The boy remained thoughtful and suddenly snapped his fingers and his eyes lit up again.


    ¡°Ah! Then you don''t have to go, only Silas!¡±


    ¡°Yes but... I don''t...¡± Olivia gestured to Silas with her head asking for help, but he didn''t play along.


    ¡°Why do you want to go to the Isle of Demons?¨C Milo continued insisting¨C. They don''t accept humans there. It would make more sense for you to head for the northern islands.¡±


    Because, precisely, they were not human, or at least not quite as in Olivia''s case, but she could not tell the boy any of that.


    ¡°It''s a secret mission. The less you know, the better it will be for you.¡±


    As if his pride had been wounded, Milo pounded his chest with his fist.


    ¡°I''ve lived my whole life on the streets! There''s nothing that scares me!¡±


    ¡°It''s too dangerous. This involves the Council of Wizards.¡±


    A small flame seemed to burn in Milo''s eyes.


    ¡°I hate wizards! Everyone here in the port hates them! Whatever it is, I''ll help you defeat them!¡±


    Olivia sighed and took his hands in hers. The gesture caused the boy to calm down and his gaze swung between his hands and Olivia''s face. Silas watched the scene with a bored look on his face as he continued to chew.


    ¡°Milo, listen, I''m so glad I met you. You''re a very special person and you''ve helped us a lot but... it''s not safe for us to stay here... It wouldn''t be fair to involve you in something that you totally ignore and that I can''t share with you either.¡±


    Olivia remembered with regret the betrayal of Deema and Gorwan who had acted guided by the fear that something would happen to their children, who by then must have also despised them after the fire she herself had unleashed. If Milo found out the truth... would he act in the same way? She dared not risk it. She couldn''t bear the thought of that sweet, innocent child looking at her in the same terrified way Deema had, as she allowed the wizards to take the girl away without having been able to defend herself. At worst, Milo must have thought they were mere fugitives who had made an attempt against the Council.


    Milo, however, suspected something.


    ¡°You don''t trust me...¡± he said, withdrawing his hands.


    Olivia knew that if she lied to him, it would be an insult to his intelligence.


    ¡°Besides you, many people have helped us get this far, and I can''t let their sacrifice be in vain.¡±


    The boy''s eyes remained fixed on the wood of the table. She thought he must be starting to hate her, but when he looked back into her eyes he was even more determined:


    ¡°I''ll show you that you can trust me. I will help you in any way I can. The next ship sails for the island in four days.¡±


    ¡°Four days!¡± Olivia exclaimed, her hopes growing dimmer and dimmer.


    ¡°That is, if there isn''t a storm.¡±


    They could not wait that long. By then, the entire port would be crowded with wizards. The actors knew they were headed for Stormbrace. Olivia was paying dearly for her innocence in trusting people she didn''t know.


    Silas folded his arms knowing what that wait meant. Maybe they wouldn''t even be able to make it to the ship without the wizards finding out.


    ¡°There is no other way to get there,¡± Milo continued. ¡°With a decent wind it takes about five days to get there, they say.¡±


    ¡°Couldn''t we get a small boat for ourselves?¡± proposed Olivia.


    Milo looked at her as if she had lost her mind.


    ¡°Are you serious? Have you ever been to sea?¡±


    ¡°Eh... no...¡± Olivia felt ashamed of her ignorance.


    The boy shook his head.


    ¡°You wouldn''t survive a day. The Freedom Sea is a dangerous place, storms are a constant. The only option is to take a merchant ship. The problem is... if they agree to take you.¡±


    Olivia looked down at her plate, which by now she had barely touched. Her stomach was still bothering her but no longer from hunger.


    Silas noticed and pushed the plate towards her.


    ¡°Don''t make me keep taking care of you, I''m tired,¡± he complained. ¡°Eat. We have four days to figure this out.¡±


    ¡°We won''t be able to get to the ship without being discovered... unless...¡±


    Silas'' eyes darkened in the same way her father''s did when he scolded her for something.


    ¡°Don''t even think about it,¡± he warned her.


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°Your body won''t take it. It''s too soon. We''ve already talked about it. I''m sick of telling you this again and again.¡±


    ¡°Maybe in four days I''ll be better and...¡±


    ¡°We don''t know that. You didn''t see what happened... all that power,¡± Silas fell silent knowing he couldn''t say more in front of Milo.


    ¡°This is just a talisman, maybe Dawn doesn''t need...¡±


    ¡°Have you already forgotten that you disappeared that night and we found you unconscious far from the camp?¡±


    ¡°This time I wouldn''t need to hide. I could do it here.¡±


    ¡°You don''t know that... Besides, I don''t trust them.¡±


    ¡°Them?¡± asked Milo trying to make sense of what they were talking about.


    ¡°Some friends of mine,¡± explained Olivia. ¡°They helped us...¡±


    ¡°But they also got us into trouble,¡± finished Silas. ¡°Besides, at what point did they show up when you called them? They only do it when it suits them.¡±


    ¡°Then maybe this time they''ll show up because it''s convenient for them if we take a ship.¡±


    ¡°More likely they''ll destroy the port before we...¡±


    ¡°Destroy the port?¡± Milo''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Silas!¡± exclaimed Olivia.


    ¡°Sorry, kid ... maybe it won''t come to that.¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡± Milo''s eyes flickered between the two.


    ¡°Spark is the only one who has been destroying... things...¡± continued Olivia.


    ¡°So far,¡± said the chimera.


    ¡°We were in danger, that''s why what happened... happened... Remember all the times they saved you too.¡±


    ¡°I remember...¡± Silas sounded warily. ¡°But now I''m wondering if it wasn''t convenient for them that I kept you safe while you couldn''t wake up. Then, the day they won''t need me anymore...¡±


    ¡°That''s...¡±


    ¡°Can you assure me that won''t be the case?¡±


    Olivia couldn''t.


    ¡°They must even be listening to this conversation right now,¡± Silas added with a hint of mockery.


    ¡°What?¡± alarmed by Silas'' words, Milo began to turn his head in all directions.


    ¡°You see, kid, why we''re protecting you?¡±


    ¡°Stop scaring him!¡± Olivia protested.


    ¡°And I''m not a kid, I''m a man¡±


    ¡°Besides, they wouldn''t... because... even though...¡± on second thought, Olivia realized that the witches surely had a way of knowing what was going on, otherwise they wouldn''t know when to show up.


    How was it possible that such powerful beings did not feature in any stories, legends or even magic books? How had they gone unnoticed for so long? What relationship did the elves have with them?


    ¡°You don''t need them!¡± exclaimed Milo. ¡°I''ll find a way to get you safely to the island!¡±


    ¡°And how do you plan to do that?¡± Silas asked when he saw that Olivia was still lost in thought and didn''t say anything.


    ¡°We''ll need money to bribe one of the crew to hide you in the hold of the ship,¡± explained they boy with such confidence that made Olivia flinch.


    ¡°What about the wizards?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You can board the ship during the night as long as no one sees you.¡±


    ¡°The problem is not that they only see us...¡± Olivia tried to make him understand. ¡°The wizards could sense Silas...¡±


    ¡°Sense him how?¡±


    ¡°Magic, they can sense the presence of people,¡± it wasn''t entirely untrue since the most advanced wizards could sense the presence of magical beings.


    Milo folded his arms thoughtfully, then snapped his fingers.


    ¡°Then Silas will have to get away from the port and wait in an area where the wizards can no longer discover him. I''ll charge a favor to a fisherman friend of mine to catch him to the ship once it has sailed.¡±


    ¡°But where will we get the money to bribe the crew?¡±


    ¡°We''ll get it. We have four days. I''ve got some saved up too.¡±


    ¡°No, Milo!¡±


    Olivia kept arguing that they should be the ones to solve their own problems but there came a point when Milo got tired of listening to her. He got up from the table and headed for the door.


    ¡°I promise I''ll pay you back someday, I don''t know when or how,¡± Olivia told him.


    ¡°You don''t have to,¡± he said as he shut the door. ¡°Outwitting wizards is already a priceless pleasure for me... but...¡± he paused for a moment. ¡°If it''s the payment you''re really worried about... there are different ways to pay someone without having to use coins,¡± the boy winked at her and disappeared behind the door.


    Olivia looked at Silas somewhere between confused and worried.


    ¡°What did he mean by that?¡±

 Chapter 53 - The Port Ghosts

    Olivia did not think it wise to leave the safety of the secluded stone house where Milo had so generously sheltered them, but the guilt was much stronger. She could not allow the boy to carry the full responsibility of helping them on his shoulders. So, when Milo later returned to the house with more food and news of the progress of their negotiations with the sailor who would help them hide in the ship''s hold, Olivia offered to join him on his next errand so that together they could get the money more quickly.


    At first she thought the boy would refuse as she herself had doubts about her own ability to help him due to her obvious lack of experience. So far her only work had been acting briefly in plays, apart from some small tasks of set design and costume arrangement that she had learned with Celestia and Elyssa.


    However, the boy seemed enthusiastic about the idea of spending the whole day with Olivia, which warmed her heart because surely he was in need of companionship.


    ¡°What about me?¡± Silas growled.


    ¡°You''ll stay and clean the house,¡± Milo replied indifferently.


    The thought made the chimera squint even more.


    ¡°You know how to do it, don''t you?¡± asked the child, skeptical.


    ¡°Of course I do,¡± answered Silas, although when Olivia asked him in secret if he really knew he told her that he had seen the castle maids at work.


    The girl doubted that was enough to learn anything.


    The next day they woke up early to start the first tasks of the day and Olivia soon realized that before then she didn''t know what she was getting into.


    ¡°There are two of us this time, so today we''ll make twice as much,¡± Milo assured her.


    Their first job consisted of loading and unloading goods, something that at first seemed easy enough, though she didn''t anticipate that her body was not sufficiently trained to withstand a long time of going back and forth with boxes, barrels or sacks of different products coming and going from the ships and the market. By the time they were done, she felt as if stones had been tied around her arms and her clothes had become soaked with sweat.


    This was followed by several hours of delivering messages and more goods from the stores, in which Olivia could do little to help except follow Milo with a basket in her hand. She had to work hard not to fall behind. Milo moved swift as a fish in water, guiding her confidently through the crowded streets and the chaos of the port like the first day they met, waving endlessly at familiar faces as if he knew almost everyone. There were more than a few times he had to stop and wait for her although he never complained to her and that made the girl feel worse.


    By the time they were done with the delivery, she sat in the middle of the street with her back against a wall and breathing heavily. Milo on the other hand looked cool as a cucumber, as if nothing he had done had taken any effort. Perhaps in the end she was nothing more than a hindrance.


    ¡°Tired?¡± Milo asked with a friendly smile.


    Olivia didn''t want to admit it but her expression gave her away.


    ¡°The next job will be easier. The tavern''s owner has asked me to come and help him at lunchtime.¡±


    ¡°There''s more?¡± Olivia sighed.


    ¡°Well... the day is just beginning.¡±


    ¡°Ah... but... how many coins do we have?¡±


    Milo held out his hand to hand her the small bag in which he was collecting the day''s profits.


    ¡°How much more do we need?¡± she blushed to ask such a silly question.


    ¡°Quite a bit... don''t worry... as the hours pass you''ll get used to it.¡±


    But Olivia didn''t get used to it. The work in the tavern was exhausting. The place was bursting at the seams. Between going back and forth with mugs and plates she had no free moment to sit down. Her back was killing her as if a sword had been thrust into the middle of her. She felt numb from all the shouts of customers demanding more drinks and her feet kept stepping on food falling from the tables as she tried to move between the tables and the people coming in and out of the place.


    Milo on the other hand moved confidently and in between going back and forth talked to the customers who laughed at his jokes and before leaving tossed him a coin for his services.


    Olivia had been afraid that the men would pick on her but then realized that her condition was so pitiful that no one seemed to notice her presence. She had kept her eyes down at all times and there were more than a few who mistook it for a boy. She didn''t know whether to be relieved or offended.


    Once they finished, the owner offered them something to eat and drink and soon after they returned to the street to continue with the same activities of the morning. At nightfall the small bag weighed a little more but according to Milo they were still far from their goal and perhaps they would need a couple more days to get the necessary amount.


    ¡°I''ll think of something else that can give us more coins...¡± he apologized but Olivia reassured him that he had already done too much.


    ¡°I think I''ve done nothing but slow you down.¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± he said, though Olivia didn''t believe him. ¡°Besides, it''s been fun.¡±


    ¡°Fun?¡± Olivia couldn''t understand how all those tiring, repetitive tasks could be fun for him.


    ¡°Being with you is fun,¡± he said, looking down at the ground as they walked.


    Before Olivia could answer him, a shrill voice interrupted them:


    ¡°Just look at that... Milo... so you have a girlfriend now. well done!¡±


    She stopped at the sound of the voice but Milo continued walking as if he hadn''t heard anything.


    ¡°Hey! Don''t dare to play deaf! You know nothing good will happen if you ignore us!¡± shouted another high-pitched voice.


    Turning her head in all directions, Olivia finally discovered the source of it when she looked up at the roof of a house. Right there stood two thin girls, wearing gray clothes although those appeared to be of good quality. They both appeared to be younger than Milo. One had short, messy hair, similar to a bird''s nest, the other had her hair tied back in a ponytail and was watching them with a furious look on her face and her arms crossed.


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    ¡°Don''t pay attention to them,¡± whispered Milo to Olivia, looking ahead. She followed behind him.


    ¡°We''ll tell the boss about this!¡± shouted the girl with the ponytail.


    To Olivia''s bewilderment, Milo abruptly turned down a street going in the opposite direction of the stone house and then turned again several times until she lost track of where they were. They even managed to sneak through empty yards and down several alleys.


    ¡°They were following us. But I think they''ve tired of it,¡± Milo whispered at the sight of her confused face.


    After a while of incessant walking in the dark, Milo finally picked up the path they should have followed in the first place. Olivia avoided asking about the two girls until they both crossed the threshold of the door.


    There they found Silas pacing the room like a penned animal.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± he asked annoyed, although Olivia knew he was worried.


    ¡°We had a little mishap, that''s all,¡± Milo explained, studying the floor and the furniture. ¡°I see you''re not even good at cleaning.¡±


    The floors were damp, with traces of mud in some places, there were still cobwebs in some corners of the ceiling, and the kitchen pots and pans, although they looked clean, emanated a suspicious smell. Considering that the chimera had never lived inside a house, except when inside the castle, he had at least made a try.


    Silas ignored that last remark.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°We ran into members of the Ghosts.¡±


    ¡°You mean the two girls?¡± Olivia asked.


    Milo nodded.


    ¡°I think I''ve managed to lose them but just in case you shouldn''t go out with me tomorrow.¡±


    Olivia objected. While she might not have been much help, she didn''t feel good about letting Milo take care of everything.


    ¡°I made a mistake,¡± the boy groaned. ¡°I shouldn''t have ignored them, but I didn''t want them to ask too many questions either.¡±


    ¡°But... they''re just little girls...¡±


    ¡°They''re Ghosts...¡±


    Olivia felt her skin crawl.


    ¡°They are dead?¡±


    Milo let out a shrill laugh.


    ¡°No,¡± he said, wiping his eyes. ¡°They''re just part of a gang... but a real pain in the ass.¡±


    As they fetched more water from a nearby well, since Silas had spent all there was, Milos explained that in order to survive the harsh conditions of life in the port, many of the children had banded together in small gangs. Among the best known were the Wandering Gulls, the Surf Wolves, the Stealth Dolphins and the Abyss Crabs. All of these were harmless and sought only to survive. Not all were orphans. Among its members there were also poor children who had to look for sustenance for their families and the quickest way to do it was joining a gang and take some of the profits that would later be divided.


    Milo, however, although he respected the Children of the Port''s code of honor and the sense of community among them, preferred to keep his distance. So far he had managed to get by on his own thanks to his wit, discretion and powers of observation and did not want to answer to any hierarchy.


    Therefore, his relationship with the gangs was complicated, and he could not avoid his life being influenced by them, since the jobs he did often depended on the power dynamics of the gangs that they maintained with sailors and merchants, and there had been many times when he had to stay away from certain areas to avoid misunderstandings and confrontations.


    Most of the gangs used to leave him alone but there was one that stood out among them all.


    The Ghosts.


    ¡°We, the Children of the Port, tend to win the sympathy of the people with honest work,¡± said Milo shaking his head, ¡°but they don''t respect this rule and tarnish our reputation.¡±


    ¡°They are thieves,¡± Silas concluded.


    Milo nodded.


    ¡°And very successful. No one has ever caught them. They appear and disappear out of nowhere. Hence their name. Their boss, Rufus, has long tried to pressure me to join them. But they''ll never succeed...¡± the boy''s eyes darkened. ¡°Maybe tomorrow you''d better not go out, Olivia.¡±


    ¡°Nothing of the sort,¡± Olivia refused in a tone that brooked no argument. ¡°We''ll just be more careful.¡±


    And besides, they were just children, though she didn''t want to say that out loud so as not to offend Milo. What harm could they do to them?


    The next day''s routine was not so different from the previous one but it did feel worse. After a deep sleep, Olivia thought she would wake up more rested but every muscle in her body ached.


    ¡°You shouldn''t...¡± Silas started to say but she gave him a fierce look. She was determined to help Milo and there was no pain to stop her.


    They left Silas alone again, with directions from Milo to clean the house better this time. As they walked away, they both looked in all directions but there was no sign of anyone following them and neither did they come across the two girls or any of the gang as they went about their work on the docks.


    The hours passed quietly as they went from one place to another fulfilling errands. As night fell again, just in case, Milo again took the longer way to reach the stone house but noticed nothing unusual as they proceeded through the darkened streets.


    Relieved, they crossed the threshold of the door again, though this time they found Silas sitting on a chair, completely bound from head to toe.


    ¡°Shit...¡± growled Milo.


    ¡°Silas!¡± exclaimed Olivia stepping forward to free him but soon found herself surrounded by four children dressed in gray clothes, among them the two girls from the day before.


    Silas stood with his head downcast and his long hair hiding his face.


    ¡°I couldn''t do anything...¡± he said ashamedly without taking his eyes off the ground.


    The oldest of the gang, a boy with ashy blond hair and cold, calculating eyes, stepped forward with a sneer. The rest stood behind him with their arms folded.


    ¡°Well, well, Milo... I didn''t expect it from you. Does the old captain know you''ve taken over his house without his permission?¡±


    ¡°Rufus...¡±


    The gang leader cocked his head to one side.


    ¡°I wonder also what Dhabeos Myrkan will think when he sees his honest, dear little boy going about doing things he shouldn''t be doing.


    ¡°I have nothing to do with him.¡±


    Rufus shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°He is fond of you... If it were up to him, I think he would adopt you, and that''s why you enjoy certain privileges that few of us have.¡±


    Milo patted his forehead.


    ¡°Oh, right, that''s why you hate me so much. You''re jealous! Does poor little Rufus want someone to adopt him? I can talk to Dhabeos and I''m sure he''ll take you to his wife''s pathetic school to fill that empty head of yours.¡±


    Rufus'' grimace disappeared behind his tight lips. He took a step forward toward Milo and the two boys stood face to face with their noses almost touching.


    ¡°Say that again, and see what happens.¡±


    Olivia cleared her throat and both children looked at her


    ¡°So...¡± she said uncomfortably, looking at the rest of them. ¡°Are you the Ghosts?¡±


    Despite everything Milo had told her about the Ghosts, in Olivia''s eyes they seemed like nothing more than a bunch of little kids who were currently squabbling like grumpy puppies. She couldn''t help but feel a mixture of tenderness and pity for them. If she could have, she would have adopted them all at that moment but unfortunately she had no home to which to take them now.


    However, she began to reconsider as soon as Rufus gave her a steely cold look.


    ¡°So this is your girlfriend,¡± the gang leader said to Milo without taking his eyes off Olivia which made the girl suddenly feel shy. ¡°You have strange tastes.¡±


    ¡°No, she''s not!¡± said Milo with clenched fists.


    ¡°We''ve been watching you, you''ve been very busy... I wonder why. These two...¡± Rufus'' eyes shifted from Olivia to Silas. ¡°They''re too old to be considered Children of the Port. I''ve never seen you help an outsider like this. Word on the street is that these last few days you have been slacking a lot.¡±


    ¡°And that matters to you?¡± mocked Milo.


    ¡°Milo, Milo. I care about your well-being. You should be flattered that I want you to join my gang.¡±


    ¡°Nothing you can say will change my mind.¡±


    ¡°You''ll think again when you see that I''ve come to do you a favor.¡±


    ¡°This is a favor?¡±


    ¡°Finn...¡± without turning his head, Rufus spoke to one to the other boy. ¡°Tell him what you heard.¡±


    The black-haired boy came closer.


    ¡°The wizards are worried,¡± Finn said. ¡°I heard them.¡±


    No one said a word. Silas raised his head and Olivia''s heart began to pump wildly.


    ¡°An urgent message has arrived from one of the western villages,¡± Finn continued. ¡°But apparently it is secret information because only a few know its contents.¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with us?¡± Olivia asked, trying to sound unconcerned.


    A smile returned to Rufus'' face.


    ¡°Oh, I think you know very well, Lady Olivia of Shadowrock.¡±

 Chapter 54 - The dislocated shoulder

    Silas should have by now gotten used to ending up in embarrassing situations like that one. Yet he still couldn''t help but feel dejected after those five children had broken in through the windows of the house, and with a speed worthy of a pack of foxes surrounded him with ropes until they left him completely immobilized.


    The bait had been one of the little girls who had knocked on the door to eagerly ask for food. The bait had been one of the little girls who had knocked on the door to beg for food in such an persistent manner that she even got down on her knees. Tired of listening to her he went to get some bread so she would leave him alone for once and didn''t notice anything weird until it was too late.


    Moreover, that timing reminded him of his life with the pack when the elders taught the youngsters hunting techniques in which each member collaborated with a particular task. Naturally, in his first form, he had never managed to do anything useful. The same thing that was happening now.


    Without taking his eyes off the ground he listened as Olivia let out a nervous laugh that surely didn''t convince anyone.


    ¡°Lady Olivia? Me? I''m extremely flattered but you couldn''t be more wrong! Do I really look like a real lady to you? Just look at me! Besides... Shadow what? I haven''t the faintest idea where that place is!¡±


    ¡°So... explain this,¡± Rufus'' words forced Silas to raise his head to watch as the gang leader took out a piece of parchment and spread it out in front of them.


    Two faces quite similar to them had been drawn on it. Though Silas'' face was badly disfigured-his nose couldn''t be that big!


    ¡°What''s that?¡± asked Olivia even though the answer was obvious.


    ¡°Finn stole it from the pocket of one of the messengers who arrived this morning. They must have made more copies.¡±


    ¡°It must be a coincidence... I have nothing to do with the nobility,¡± despite her short time as an actress, the girl had not learned to answer without hesitation.


    ¡°You''re a Lady?¡± Milo was astonished. ¡°Well, that... explains a lot of things...¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Olivia tried to say something but was interrupted by Rufus.


    ¡°You are a very important person, Lady Olivia,¡± Rufus'' cold gaze fell on Silas. ¡°But you... it seems you are even more important... The funny thing is that you don''t have any title, not even a last name... Silas... the chimera.¡±


    ¡°A chimera? What is that?¡± asked Milo.


    ¡°Ha! And you dare to tell me to go to school,¡± Rufus gestured and two of the other children moved to Silas'' side to start removing the bandages covering the bear paw.


    ¡°Don''t do that, he''s hurt!¡± Olivia shrieked but the other two children held her back.


    Silas tried to shake himself free. He didn''t want to hurt any of them but if he was forced to use his claws he''d have no choice but to...


    His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a gust of wind that enveloped the entire room. The soft light of the candles extinguished and everything went dark. As Silas was catapulted backwards he heard the screams and blows coming from the children who must have been flying off in all directions. Then he felt the wood of the chair crack as it slammed against the wall and the ropes that held him prisoner loosened. He rolled his body, covering his head with both hands to avoid being hurt by the objects flying in circle around him.


    The blasts did not stop until several seconds later and as soon as the chimera was sure that there was no more danger he got up. Around him there was only silence and there seemed to be no movement from outside the house either. So the only one who could have done that was Olivia.


    He next heard a whimper from the girl and jumped in her direction. As he groped in the darkness he almost tripped over her body lying on the floor.


    ¡°Olivia?¡±


    The girl was breathing heavily as he carefully tried to lift her up.


    ¡°I thought... had... enough... energy...¡± she spoke as if every word required an enormous effort. ¡°But... already... feeling... pretty... tired...¡±


    ¡°It''s because you still haven''t fully recovered,¡± Silas scolded her. ¡°See, you shouldn''t have gone out to work with Milo.¡±


    ¡°I didn''t... want... to... do this... it was... it was... an impulse... I was... angry...¡±


    ¡°And you couldn''t help it... I never saw you use your own power like this.¡±


    She huffed in offense.


    ¡°You... forget that... before... knew... that I was... a witch... I was... a... an... apprentice... wizard. I... can... still... summon... seals...¡±


    Silas pulled her close to one of the windows and made her sit on a chair that still kept its four legs. He studied her body up and down looking for wounds until he reached her blue eyes that shone as bright as the sea under the silver moonlight streaming through the window.


    ¡°You''re a weird creature, Olivia of Shadowrock.¡±


    She narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Look who''s... talking.¡±


    For a moment they stared at each other so earnestly that Silas'' body began to lean into her. Suddenly he felt capable to dive into that pristine blue. But why was it just now, even though he had gazed into those eyes so many times, that he felt as if he were seeing them for the first time?


    She brought one hand up to his face and when her delicate fingers rested on his temple it was as if lightning rushed from that point to his stomach. When she withdrew them he noticed that they were covered in red.


    ¡°You are... bleeding...¡± said she.


    He brought his hand to the wound but felt only a slight burning. The cut must have been very small. He turned around to briefly survey the damage and could only see a dark mountain of boxes, barrels, nets and pottery that had been piled up by the whirlwind. The table and the rest of the furniture had been overturned with their legs in splinters.


    ¡°How many times have you saved me already?¡± he asked returning his eyes to Olivia.


    A stifled laugh escaped her lips.


    ¡°I... I... I... lost... count,¡± even in the gloom he was able to see the blush flaring on her cheeks.


    ¡°I must be careful or you''ll end up saving me a hundred times like you said. What will happen to me next?¡±


    ¡°I... I... don''t... I... always...¡±


    As she tried to answer Silas wondered why he suddenly felt so hot when he was about to sink into that icy sea that threatened to devour him whole.


    Their faces were inches apart when a childish voice interrupted them.


    ¡°Kiss her already!¡± shouted one of the girls, who immediately began to moan in pain.


    She was followed by the voices of the others who sounded as if they were crawling across the floor, clinking shards of pottery and broken furniture.


    ¡°Oh, no, gross!¡±


    ¡°Just now? Really?¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°They''re teenagers! They only think with their...!¡±


    ¡°Olivia, no!¡± moaned Milo as if he had been betrayed.


    A shrill scream flooded the darkened room. It was Rufus.


    ¡°Boss, I''m coming!¡± shouted Finn.


    ¡°You idiot! When were you going to tell me she was a wizard?¡± despite his authoritative tone, Rufus'' voice reflected intense pain.


    ¡°Are you really a wizard, Olivia?¡± Milo scolded her again as if discovering that fact was much worse.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°Boss!¡± Finn whined. ¡°The wizards never said anything about that! They talked about her as if she was a helpless spoiled girl! They said the chimera was holding her hostage!¡±


    As always, there was no end to the wizards'' lies.


    While the boys kept arguing, Silas slipped an arm under the girl''s shoulders.


    ¡°Olivia, let''s go. They''ll take a while to recover.¡±


    She resisted.


    ¡°But... I... Did I... hurt them?¡± her lips trembled with regret.


    ¡°They can manage on their own. They''re thieves, Children of the Port, they don''t need us.¡±


    ¡°Exactly... they''re... just... children!¡±


    ¡°They tried to capture us for... I don''t know what for, nothing good for sure!¡±


    ¡°There''s a reward for you!¡± said one of the girls.


    ¡°A trunk full of gold!¡± followed the other one.


    ¡°You see?¡± snorted Silas, trying to drag Olivia away without hurting her, but she kept stopping him.


    ¡°We can''t leave them like this!¡±


    ¡°Have you already forgotten what happened with Deema and Gorwan? Do you want to repeat the same mistake?¡±


    ¡°They''re children, Silas!¡±


    ¡°Children can be dangerous too!¡± Silas still remembered in detail the abuses of his brothers transformed into animals and away from the adults'' sight. He had been chased and beaten like the ball the servants'' children kicked on the courtyard of Shadowrock Castle. He had never told anyone because he couldn''t live with the shame of feeling helpless against chimera cubs much younger than him.


    And there was no way he was going to go through that again.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± he finished removing the bandages covering the bear paw and brought it closer to the window. His sharp claws glittered like little silver daggers. ¡°You see this, you damned bastards? One false step and I won''t hesitate to rip off your skins and slit your bellies to decorate the walls with your guts! And after that the wizard will blow up your corpses and let them sink to the bottom of the sea!¡±


    ¡°Silas!¡± Olivia complained, but he ignored her and advanced menacingly towards the children, squinting his eyes.


    ¡°Is that clear?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± they all exclaimed, Milo included.


    The chimera nodded and began to grope around in search of elements to make a fire. When he managed to light a small flame in the stove, he looked for a candle and with it he moved through the chaos of the room to see how wounded they really were.


    He found the two girls in each other''s arms. One of them, the smaller, short-haired one, who had so innocently begged him for food, had a face wet with tears. If it weren''t for the way they had tied him up, Silas would have even felt tenderness for them. They had several cuts that stained their gray clothes red, but nothing serious.


    Olivia, having caught her breath, went over to start bandaging them with shreds of clothes lying on the floor.


    ¡°I''m so sorry,¡± she whispered as she wiped away the little girl''s tears. ¡°What''s your name?¡±


    ¡°My name is Katty.¡±


    ¡°And I''m Vinnie,¡± replied the older girl as she tried to tie back her messy hair, now loose.


    ¡°I didn''t mean to hurt you... I was just protecting my... friend.¡±


    ¡°Ah... So he''s not your boyfriend?¡± Vinnie asked.


    ¡°Of course not!¡±


    ¡°Well, then he''ll be mine.¡±


    ¡°No! He''s mine!¡± Katty punched Vinnie''s shoulder which made Vinnie groan in pain and in response she tried to cinch her hair.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Olivia was trying to keep them from hurting each other even more.


    Silas cleared his throat uncomfortably as he continued his inspection. Milo had suffered a heavy blow to the chest when a barrel had gone over him but although he was breathing heavily it appeared that he hadn''t broken any ribs. As for the other two boys, Finn and Penn, who by their close resemblance were probably brothers, the former had a few small cuts and the latter was only limping a little.


    The one who had gotten the worst of it, much to Silas'' delight, was Rufus whom he found leaning against the wall and with his right arm twisted at an unnatural angle. His now pale face matched his gray eyes and he gritted his teeth trying not to cry out in pain.


    Silas didn''t bother to hide his smile.


    ¡°This is what happens to you when you mess with someone more powerful than you, asshole.¡±


    Rufus glared at him but said nothing.


    ¡°Silas, don''t bully him,¡± Olivia scolded him, coming closer. ¡°Poor little guy.¡±


    ¡°Poor little guy?¡± exclaimed both Silas and Rufus.


    ¡°Let me see that,¡± Olivia approached the boy to study his arm.


    ¡°He''s the bully!¡± Silas protested.


    ¡°I''m the leader of the Port Ghosts, you smug wizard!¡± exclaimed Rufus who tried to pull away from her only to feel a stab of pain that made him burst into howls.


    ¡°There, there,¡± Olivia''s voice reminded Silas of his own mother when as a child he was frightened by the thunder whose deafening echoes made the mountain peaks tremble.


    ¡°This is your fault! But it''s nothing! I''ve had much worse injuries!¡± Rufus shouted, trying to hide his pain with a furious tone, ¡°I was once attacked by a smuggler with a dagger! I have a huge scar on my chest!¡±


    ¡°Of course it''s my fault and I''ll make up for it,¡± said Olivia softly. ¡°I see... I think I know how to fix this...¡±


    ¡°Don''t you dare touch me, you filthy wizard!¡±


    ¡°Do you really know how to fix it?¡± Silas asked suspiciously.


    Olivia cleared her throat.


    ¡°We need to get his arm back in place before it gets worse. I saw Barthra do it a couple of times.¡±


    ¡°A couple of times?¡±


    ¡°Several times maybe. To soldiers or peasants who had suffered accidents. It''s not very complicated but... maybe I''m not strong enough,¡± she raised her eyebrows looking at him.


    ¡°First you attack us and now you want to torture us!¡±, Rufus shouted. ¡°Typical evil wizards! Guys, do something!¡±


    But the rest didn''t move. Silas wasn''t sure if it was out of fear or because they really believed Olivia could heal him.


    The chimera sighed.


    ¡°What do I have to do?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± cried Rufus but Silas grabbed him tightly by his good arm.


    ¡°It won''t be pleasant but you''ll feel much better in no time, I promise,¡± said Olivia. ¡°Finn, look for something he can bite.¡±


    While she was giving Silas the instructions, the boy found a leather belt that he handed to the girl and she put it in Rufus'' mouth, who, already surrendered, began to chew hard in anticipation of the great pain that was about to be inflicted on him.


    Silas took a deep breath. It amused him to get back at the Ghosts'' leader that way, but on the other hand he didn''t want to fail Olivia either. He brought his right hand to Rufus'' crooked arm, and rested the heavy bear paw on his shoulder to steady him. He counted to three and with a quick, precise motion he twisted and pulled the arm back into its proper position.


    A click echoed through the room. Penn ran out the front door and shortly after they heard his retching. Finn came out after him. The two girls hugged again and watched with terrified eyes unable to move. Milo stood still with his hands clenched into fists and as pale as Rufus as he could feel the same pain.


    The young gang leader was biting so hard on his belt it looked as if his teeth were going to shoot out and his face had become damp with sweat. He emitted only hoarse grunts that intensified during those brief seconds as Silas adjusted his arm.


    The maneuver done, Rufus'' moans ceased, the belt dropped to the floor and his breathing began to normalize.


    ¡°Fuck.¡±


    ¡°Boss!¡± Finn poked his head through the door. ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Better but no thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°Boss...¡± whimpered the boy begging for forgiveness.


    ¡°Well done, Silas!¡± Olivia patted his shoulder and Silas'' chest swelled with pride.


    Rufus cupped his hand on his own shoulder.


    ¡°It better be good...¡± he glared at the chimera. ¡°Because if it doesn''t, I''ll make sure it hurts you twice as much.¡±


    Silas raised his bear claws.


    ¡°Be thankful I haven''t killed you yet. Now we''re even. You ambushed us and got a taste of what we can do to you.¡±


    ¡°Silas, stop it,¡± Olivia rubbed her eyes. ¡°Really... I don''t recognize you.¡±


    ¡°But...!¡±


    ¡°You''re being so childish! You know they''re weaker than you.¡±


    ¡°But they...!¡±


    She didn''t let him continue.


    ¡°Now that we know everyone is okay it''s time to go.¡±


    ¡°Do you think the wizards can track your magic?¡±


    ¡°My magic is very weak compared to... our friends... but just in case we should look for another hiding place,¡± she turned to the side. ¡°Milo, thank you very much for your help.¡±


    ¡°No, I''m going with you!¡± the boy objected.


    Olivia looked at him in surprise.


    ¡°Even now that you know who we really are?¡±


    ¡°You may be a wizard but you are very different from the others. I''ve seen it with my own eyes. As for the chimeras... I know almost nothing about them really.¡±


    ¡°Chimeras were hunted down and killed by wizards over a hundred years ago,¡± Rufus rolled his eyes as if it was something the other should know.


    ¡°You people hate wizards,¡± said Silas.


    ¡°Every single person in Stormbrace hates wizards.¡±


    ¡°But you were willing to deliver us to them.¡±


    Rufus wrinkled his lips.


    ¡°I didn''t like the idea very much, but the reward was worth it.¡±


    ¡°Even for you that''s shameful,¡± Milo pointed out. ¡°I thought at least thieves had their codes too.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, boss...¡± agreed Vinnie, stepping forward. ¡°We were a little rash...¡±


    Rufus sighed.


    ¡°In a matter of hours, capture notices will start circulating.¡±


    ¡°How can you know all that?¡± Olivia asked.


    ¡°Finn is the Ear of the group. He has a great ability to hide and get information. He''s not very adept at stealing but every once in a while he gets something like that scroll I showed you.¡±


    ¡°Boss...¡± Finn looked at the floor in embarrassment.


    ¡°What made you change your mind?¡± Silas folded his arms.


    ¡°I don''t like Milo very much but he''s right. Your friend is different. Another wizard would have left me to my own fate. Why did you heal me after I tried to capture you?¡± he asked Olivia.


    ¡°I was the one who healed you,¡± Silas growled.


    Olivia shrugged.


    ¡°Because it was the right thing to do.¡±


    Rufus snorted as he straightened up with help from Vinnie and Finn.


    ¡°I can tell you''re a noblewoman. That''s easy for you to say. You don''t know what it''s like to survive on the streets. I''m afraid you''ll be caught in no time. Good luck to you.¡±


    Rufus was already approaching the door to leave when Katty started jumping up and down.


    ¡°Boss! What about our hideout?¡±


    The boy sighed and paused on the threshold.


    ¡°It''s the safest place in the port!¡± Vinnie seconded her.


    Finn and Penn, the latter now recovered from his indigestion, agreed with the idea.


    ¡°Do you understand that we''re dealing with wizards?¡± asked the leader.


    The others protested that they had no fear of wizards, even though Silas believed the opposite.


    But Rufus surprised him next.


    ¡°Let''s vote... all in favor?¡± his four minions raised their hands enthusiastically, but Rufus'' hands remained in place.


    Despite that, the arrogant boss respected the group''s decision.


    ¡°Well, let''s go then,¡± he looked at Silas and Olivia steadily before crossing the door. ¡°We''re moving fast so try not to fall behind.¡±


    The rest of the gang followed him, including a hesitant Milo and then Olivia.


    Silas grabbed her arm.


    ¡°What if it''s just another trap?¡±


    She only bit her lips.


    ¡°What''s the matter, chimera? Scared of me all of a sudden?¡± Rufus boasted.


    Damn kid. Silas grabbed Olivia''s hand so as not to lose sight of her and together they advanced behind the group.