Chapter 16
Discovery
Coldness enveloped Echo’s body. Shimmer pressed against her, offering her warmth and support. Hot tears soaked into the horse’s silky hair as Echo grasped Shimmer’s mane and buried her face into her neck. Brecker had killed--he had murdered! Darkness would have a stronger hold over him now. And this had all come about because of Echo’s failure to overcome her own fear and help Brecker the day he’d shaken hands with a doon.
Bitterness rose in Echo’s heart like a savage weed, choking any logic from her mind. She wanted to leap onto Shimmer, race to Ulway, and fight Belzac herself. She wanted to plead with him to release Brecker, and take her in his stead. She wanted…
She wanted everything to be as it was. She wanted this nightmare to end. What she wouldn’t give to turn back time and change the events of her life--and her brother’s.
Cage’s voice drew her from her dark thoughts. She pulled herself away from Shimmer’s neck and wiped her tears. Keebo stood awkwardly next to her, his eyes sad. Echo wanted to grab his hand for the simple comfort of touch, but turned instead to listen to Cage.
“There’s more,” he said and then shifted uncomfortably. He struggled to begin speaking. Echo worried Belzac may torture him if he did speak. In low tones, Cage told them, “Belzac is planning to gather an army of shadow dwellers. He wants to build a force to surpass that which he had during the Doon Wars.”
The elves tensed. “Are you certain?” Dorian asked, his voice uncharacteristically strained.
Cage answered, “Yes. But he can only gather a few members at a time. Degus still has dominion over him, so his time here is limited to those moments when he can escape her. If it weren’t for Degus, Belzac would already have his army.”
The elves looked at each other with worried expressions. Echo’s stomach flip-flopped. It wasn’t normal for her friends to show such concern. Dorian looked to Cage and spoke, “Then we must make haste to ready ourselves.” He looked at Echo. “Our friend, Ayden Green, has begun a quest to destroy Degus. If he is successful, nothing will hold Belzac from his desires.”
“Why does Belzac want to fight here? What’s so special about Thildin valley?” Echo asked, but her question was left unanswered.
Cage suddenly screamed, doubling over in pain. In a flash, the three elves grasped hands with Dorian in the center. Thalen and Alena each touched one of Cage’s shoulders with their free hands. A faint shimmer of light engulfed him for a moment. As it faded, Cage’s scream died and he stood upright. With a stunned expression, he looked at the elves. As they lowered their hands from him, he gave them a crooked smile, “Thanks. Wasn’t expecting that.”
“It is our way of thanking you for your help. I feel we can trust you, Cage. And, from this day forward, you have our allegiance. We will help you and your people any way we can. However, we will require much help from you as well if Belzac’s wishes come to light. There is a lot to do with war on the horizon. How many of you are willing to assist us?” Dorian asked Cage.
Cage scratched at his neck and raised an eyebrow. “Well, me so far.” He flashed a cheesy smile. “And Velth, my kelpie.” Thalen and Alena gaped at him, but Dorian’s lips curled at the corners.
“You are brave, my friend. However, I must ask you to be a bit braver. Do what you can to gather as many of your people as possible to resist Belzac. If there are any free of his or Degus’ grasps, perhaps those will be willing to fight.”
Echo thought Cage looked doubtful. But he shrugged and said, “I’ll see what I can do.” He cleared his throat and continued speaking, “Belzac won’t give up hunting Echo. He has special plans for her and Brecker.”
“What is it he wants with her?” Alena asked, her voice as strong as her stare.
Cage returned her gaze defiantly, then answered, “He wants them in his army.
Echo gasped. Fear and then rage flowed inside her. “I’d never join his army! He must be crazy! What does he think I’d do for him?”
Cage’s eyes locked with hers. He opened his mouth as if to say more, but then changed his mind and remained silent. He tore his gaze from Echo when Dorian spoke.
“Is there more you wish to discuss?” Dorian asked the wraith.
“No. Not now. I need to go before Belzac sends someone for me.”
“Then we shall meet with you again another day. Perhaps we should have a sign, a way of summoning each other without drawing attention.” Dorian said.
Keebo cleared his throat, gave Echo a quick, uncomfortable glance, and then said quietly, “Tell the trees.”
Dorian smiled brightly. “Excellent idea. That is exactly what we shall do, if it is agreeable.”
Cage answered, “It is.” He made his farewells, his gaze lingering the longest on Echo. From the corner of her eye she saw Keebo take a step toward her as his face turned to Cage, then to her, then back to Cage again. Then, in a shimmer of light and water, the wraith was gone.
Echo rode back to Thildin as a red-headed elf. Her thoughts were anguished, remembering that Brecker had killed. She couldn’t imagine what her brother must be going through. He’d become the very thing from which he’d wanted to protect everyone. She had to do something. But that ‘something’ eluded her like a faded memory. She allowed her thoughts to trail to a series of “what-if’s” and “if-only’s”, delving her deeper into frustration and bitterness at her own inadequacies. The incessant wind did little to help--she wanted to take her daggers and slice into it as if it were a physical beast that she could slay. It blasted against her in powerful gusts as if to mock her.
As the group entered Thildin, the disguise magically washed from Echo and Shimmer. Feeling even more depressed at looking human again, she dismounted and hugged Shimmer’s neck for a long time. The others led their horses to an open, grassy arena where the rest of the herd welcomed them home. After a short time, the sound of footsteps approached from behind.
Keebo’s voice was timid, “Echo? You okay?”
Echo turned and faced him. She wanted to be irritated at him for asking such a stupid question, but her wild emotions had drained her energy. She just nodded and stroked Shimmer’s muzzle.
Keebo took another step forward. “I can stay if you want. Dad can run the shop without me.” Surprised, Echo met his tender gaze. “I don’t want you to be alone.”
Echo felt a small spot of warmth at Keebo’s words. But she couldn’t muster even a hint of a smile for him. She wanted him to stay, but she didn’t want Jiggers alone either. At least she was protected with the elves. Jiggers had no such protection. “Thanks. But I’ll be fine. Your dad needs you, and I’m never alone here.”
Keebo showed a hint of disappointment, but quickly hid his feelings behind a small smile. “Yeah, okay. That’s okay. But, just,” he stumbled over his words for a moment, “if you need anything…”
His face was so boyish and bashful that Echo couldn’t keep the smile from pulling at the corners of her mouth. “Thanks, Keebo. You’re a good friend.”
Keebo let out a short, sad laugh. “Yeah, friend. I’ll see you later.” He turned and walked away, allowing the wind to usher him out of Thildin.
Echo stayed with Shimmer for a long while. They just stood together, listening to the wind in the trees. She drew comfort from her horse, who gave it willingly. Her thoughts would not be swayed from her guilt or her bitterness toward herself and toward Belzac.
By the time Echo returned to their elf home, the rest of her family had been informed of Brecker’s current situation. Kiani’s eyes were red as she looked at Echo. She approached and hugged her tightly, “Are you alright?” She laughed sadly. “Sorry, stupid question. None of us are alright, are we?”
They parted, and Echo fought the lump that threatened to form in her throat. Mari suddenly walked up to her and gave her a hug as well, nearly causing Echo to burst into tears. When they parted, Mari’s expression was determined. “Come
to the library with me. I need help bringing back more scrolls. We missed a few. We will find a way to break Belzac’s hold on Brecker.”
Mari’s confidence was contagious, and Echo allowed herself a small seed of hope. She followed Mari to the simple but enormous elf library. The wind was finally dying down and birds sang joyously from the trees. They entered the library where the bird song didn’t end, but grew even louder. The library was set inside a cathedral of giant redwood trees. Their trunks, which were so close to each other they touched, had been molded by the elves’ magic to hold thousands upon thousands of scrolls and books, many of which contained ballads and poems written by elves of old and new days. Echo and her siblings had come here often while taking lessons from Dorian. The trees stretched to the sky, their thick branches forming a protective roof over the library.
Mari handed Echo an armful of scrolls, which she juggled to keep from dropping. “I thought you said we missed a few! You just handed me half the library!”
“That’s a bit of an exaggeration,” Mari stated. She then took hold of a stack of books nearly as tall as she was. “C’mon,” she said, straining to keep the heavy books balanced. “Let’s get back to the house and start reading.”
Upon entering their house, Echo’s hold on the scrolls faltered and rolled papers flew everywhere. “AAH!” she screamed. Then shrugged. “Well, at least they waited to fall until we were home. If that wind hadn’t died down, they’d probably all be flying toward the Dragon’s Tooth right now.”
Mari giggled, and then heaved her stack of books on the table as Echo picked up the scrolls. She had to dig several of them from underneath the cabinet that held the few dishes they’d brought from their other house.
Once all the scrolls were piled onto the table, the girls set to reading. Occasionally, their mom or dad, and sometimes the elves, would join them for a time. But Echo and Mari read more than anyone. They had a few false alarms, thinking they’d found something useful, only to be denied their hope when Dorian would explain why a certain counter-spell wouldn’t work.
Late into the night Mari stretched, rubbed her eyes, and yawned. “That’s it. I can’t take anymore right now. I’m going to bed.”
Echo looked at her sister through blurred eyes. She could swear she saw letters dancing across Mari’s face. She rubbed her eyes. “I think I’d better join you. I just need a quick drink and I’ll be there.” Mari mumbled a response as she shuffled back to their room.
Echo stumbled to the barrel that held pure rain water. She filled her cup and took a deep draught of the cool water. After she put the cup in the sink, she turned toward the back room, ready for sleep. Something white behind the dish cabinet caught her attention. She knelt down and peered behind it. “Oh, missed one,” she said as she pulled out a small scroll.
Echo went to place the scroll on the table, but something stopped her. She held the rolled paper for a long time. Her mind and body screamed for her to go to bed, yet a stronger instinct urged her to open and read the scroll.
As Echo sat, she unsealed the scroll and slowly rolled the sides apart, pressing the curled paper flat with her fingertips. The letters were elvish, but she had no trouble discerning their meaning. They spoke of a powerful, mystical being that lived in the frozen reaches of the Dragon’s Tooth; a Fate.