Chapter 25
Secret Keepers
Fire burned in Echo’s veins, though she shivered as if the cold of the mountain still blanketed her. She was vaguely aware that she had somehow come to be in their elf home in Thildin. Her skin was drenched with sweat. Every so often, she’d peek through heavy eyelids and see blurred forms of bodies moving around her room. Several times, someone--she thought her mother--held a cup to her lips, forcing her to drink yulea. The soothing liquid would temporarily stave the chilling fire and Echo would fall back to sleep.
Echo woke again, not sure how long she’d been asleep or how long she’d been home. She lay conscious, but her eyelids stayed comfortably over her eyes. She didn’t feel like moving. Her ears caught whisperings, and she focused her attention on trying to hear what they were saying.
“I can’t believe what is happening,” Kiani’s voice whispered.
“It is hard to take in,” Oran’s voice replied with a hint of excitement. “But it makes perfect sense, now that we know. I wish we could tell Echo. She’ll be shocked!”
Echo heard Keebo’s whispering voice, much to her relief. She’d been dreaming of him dying, crushed under an avalanche of stones. “Can I show her and tell her? I mean, I need to tell her so much more, too.”
There was quiet shuffling and no one spoke for awhile. Then, Dorian said softly, “That may be wise. But we must wait until her body is finished healing itself. Too much excitement might bring the fever back to its former strength.”
Echo’s heart was already pounding. What were they talking about? Curiosity raged inside her, forcing her to open her eyes. The voices had been trailing from the front of the house. She slowly and quietly forced her body into a sitting position. Most of her cuts and bruises were gone. They must’ve used curatree sap, she thought. The tree’s sap couldn’t stop the fever, though. Even while its strength was fading, she could still feel it burning inside of her.
With shaking legs, Echo stood beside her bed. The room spun like a top, forcing her to sit back down. Dorian’s voice trailed through her fuzzy, teetering mind. “I must return to the Diern formation and continue assisting Mari and the others in finishing the translations. Hopefully we will know the full story before time has run itself out.”
Echo heard them all make their farewells as her brain throbbed against her skull. Without realizing it, she moaned. The quick shuffling of several pairs of feet came her way. Her dad was first to enter the room, his eyes brimming with concern. “Echo! I’m so glad to see you awake.” He embraced her securely and she allowed herself to melt into his strong shoulder for a few minutes. She could’ve fallen back to sleep that way.
Her dad pulled away and cupped her face in his hands. She gave him a weak smile as his green eyes shined back at her. “Hi, Dad,” she said softly. “I’m sorry,” she began, but was surprised how quickly the tears came to surface. She was overwhelmed with joy at being home, and with guilt for what she’d put everyone through.
Oran continued to hold her head in his hands as Kiani and Keebo hovered silently in the doorway. “I can’t say I’m happy about you running off. We were worried out of our minds. But Dorian kept re-assuring us that you’d be fine. And, if you hadn’t gone, so much would still be hidden from us.” His eyes sparked with excitement.
“What things?” Echo asked.
“All in good time, hon. You need to rest.”
“But--” Echo began as her dad put a finger to her lips, gave her another quick hug, and then stood aside so that Kiani could have her turn.
Echo hugged her mother warmly. She looked over Kiani’s shoulder at Keebo, wanting to talk with him more than anyone. He smiled and nodded, as if he’d read her mind, and then left the room.
After releasing her, Kiani studied her daughter. A smile was on her face, but Echo couldn’t read what her mother was thinking. Finally, Kiani spoke, “You are so amazing!”
Okay. Not what I was expecting! Echo stared at her mother, slightly shocked.
“You did what I was afraid to do when I was young. You scared me to death, of course. Don’t ever do it again.” Kiani blinked tears away as she flipped back a lock of golden hair. “But I am so proud of you. I’m sorry I didn’t explain why I didn’t seek the Fate to save your uncle. I’d read all the warnings, and I knew it would probably cause more harm than good. Still, I always wished I would’ve at least tried. Your bravery has given us all so much hope. And, when you are well enough, we’ll tell you exactly why.”
Echo began to protest. In her mind, she was well enough already, though her head pounded more fiercely with every passing minute. “Why can’t you tell me now?” she whispered. She couldn’t imagine how her failures could be of any help.
Kiani smiled, forming warm creases at the corners of her eyes. “Because, your body still needs to heal. Here,” she picked a cup off of the bedside table and held it to Echo’s lips. Echo sipped the yulnea and allowed it to sooth her head and body. When she finished, Kiani kissed her forehead and gently helped her to lie back down. “Now, sleep a little longer. When you wake, you can eat. Then we’ll see how you are.”
“How long have I been home?” Echo asked as her head sank into the soft pillow.
“Two days,” Kiani said.
“Two days!” Echo couldn’t believe she’d lost two whole days of her life. And for what? Brecker was still enslaved, and Belzac would soon have an army if Ayden--along with the dragons--defeated Degus. Echo gasped, “The dragons! Mom, the dragons are on their way to help Ayden defeat Degus! We’re going to be too late to stop Belzac!”
Kiani placed a soothing hand against Echo’s scowling face. “Please, Echo. Don’t let your mind be troubled. It’ll only slow your healing. Think good thoughts, soothing thoughts. Everything will work out, you’ll see.”
Echo looked at her mother’s warm face and allowed her negative thoughts to dissolve. She nodded her head and closed her eyes. After several minutes, Kiani’s footsteps led her from the room. Echo’s mind went to Shimmer and she almost sat up again with excitement as they connected with each other. Shimmer’s mind was frantic over her. Echo tried to relay images of her getting well and coming to see her soon. Shimmer showed Echo that she was waiting outside the house and would remain there until Echo was well enough to come out. The two of them shared thoughts and emotions for nearly half an hour, each telling the other their stories, before Echo finally drifted back to sleep.
The next time Echo awoke, her room was dark. She immediately connected with Shimmer who relayed that it was nearly dawn. So, one more day and night lost, Echo thought in dismay. She felt the pressure of time quickly running out. An all-too-familiar heaviness of failure accompanied that pressure.
Echo stiffly rose from her bed and dressed. Her fever was gone, thank goodness. But her body was still sore and reluctant to move. Dorian’s training sessions came in useful as she quietly went through a short stretching routine she’d learned; those stretches had saved her many cool mornings when her muscles had been sore. Although it was painful, it felt good to stretch and relax her muscles until they became more cooperative.
After finishing, Echo tiptoed outside. Forgetting her soreness, she ran joyously to Shimmer and embraced her powerful neck. The horse nickered softly. Echo moved away from Shimmer’s neck so she could rub her silky muzzle. “I missed you! I was so scared when I couldn’t find you on the mountain.” Echo shivered, remembering one horrid moment after another from her time at the Fate’s lair. “I’m sorry I dragged you up there. I should’ve listened to Palmaero and Cage.”
Shimmer nudged her softly, and Echo knew the horse laid no blame in her direction. They’d both acted on impulse and paid the consequences.
A warm sun peered over the eastern horizon, sending blades of light through the trees. Birds welcomed the morning cheerfully, lightening Echo’s mood. She stroked Shimmer’s face in silence, enjoying the serenity of dawn.
/> A strong shot of pine hit Echo’s nostrils, causing her stomach to flop. A soft whisper from a nearby tree drew her attention. She watched, amazed, as the tree’s trunk rippled and Keebo appeared. Shimmer whinnied a happy greeting, and Keebo smiled brighter than the morning sun.
Echo was surprised at herself for being bashful. She had to force her eyes to look into Keebo’s face as her cheeks grew warm. What is wrong with me? Maybe she was embarrassed about Keebo having to rescue her, but something else tugged playfully at her heart, making it jump around in her chest like a caged rabbit.
Keebo walked boldly to her and threw his arms around her. He squeezed until Echo could barely breathe. She returned the gesture, surprised again as a lump suddenly formed in her throat. So many emotions flooded her, she couldn’t even speak. She just wanted to stay as they were and never let go.
Finally, Shimmer bumped them with her head, nearly knocking them over. Keebo let go; they parted as they laughed shyly. Then, Keebo’s face sobered. He looked at Echo, his eyes shining, “I really thought I’d lost you, Echo. Don’t EVER do that again!” he commanded.
Echo kept her gaze steady. She deserved his anger. She should’ve trusted him with her plans. But she couldn’t help that now. “I’m so sorry, Keebo. I just thought if I told anyone, you’d all try to stop me from going.”
“Of course we would’ve. Seeking a Fate is probably one of the most dangerous things a human can do,” Keebo said fiercely. Then, his countenance softened. “She almost killed you, Echo,” he said quietly.
They stood and stared at each other for a long time. Echo didn’t know what to say. No apology could take away the worry she’d caused.
Suddenly, Keebo’s face split into a smile. “Good thing I followed you most of the way.”
Echo was so relieved to see his old, mischievous self, she couldn’t help giggling. “What? When? I never saw or heard you.”
“That’s because I’m a master of stealth,” he said slyly. “I was with you after Cage found you until just before you met up with Song.”
Echo gaped at him. “You know Song? You were there that whole time and never told me?” she asked as she slammed her fingertips against Keebo’s chest, causing him to step back to keep balanced. “I thought I was alone in that darkness! There were so many scary noises, and it was so black at night. Why didn’t you show yourself?” She punctuated her angry question with another hit from her fingers.
“Ow! Stop doing that!” Keebo stated and rubbed his chest where Echo hoped she’d left a couple bruises. “Dorian didn’t want me to interfere, just to keep watch. Good thing, too, or Brecker would’ve seen me and I wouldn’t have been able to draw him away from you.”
Echo’s heart skipped a beat. “B-Brecker was following me?”
“Yeah. I got his attention and lured him away not long before you met up with Song.”
Echo’s mind picked at memory of a rustling in the trees behind her and Shimmer as they’d traveled. She’d mounted Shimmer and raced up the mountain before coming to the crossroads. The rustling had been Keebo luring Brecker away. He’d been so close to her and she never knew!
She turned her mind to less terrifying things. “How do you know Song?”
“Uh, yeah. I, um, I have some things I need to explain.” Keebo’s cheeks flushed. He scratched at the hair over his ears and cast his gaze to the ground.
“I’ll say,” Echo said, smiling. She’d already guessed a lot about Keebo. But she didn’t want to burst his bubble by telling him so.
Keebo looked at her, his eyes alive. “First, though, you have to come with me to the Diern badlands. I’ll explain everything there.”
Excitement grabbed Echo before a voice in the back of her head told her to inform her family of what she was doing. She didn’t ever want to scare any of them by disappearing again. “I have to at least leave a note for them,” she said, gesturing with her head toward the house where everyone was still sleeping--or so she thought.
Keebo shook his head and released a tickled sound. “No one’s in there, Echo. They’ve already gone down to the badlands. I was supposed to come wake you and see if you were feeling well enough to go down this morning.” He looked her up and down, making her cheeks flame again. “I’d say you look well! Do you need something to eat?”
Echo shook her head. She was way too excited to eat--the mysteries around her friends and Thildin Valley were about to be revealed! “I’m not hungry,” she stated firmly. As if to prove her a liar, her stomach immediately released a protesting growl. Keebo raised a slanted brow and Echo said, “Okay, maybe I should have something. But I’ll eat along the way.”
Echo raced back into the house and hastily grabbed an apple and two chunks of bread. She left the house and found Keebo and Shimmer exactly as she’d left them. “That was fast. Did you think your food would try to run?” Keebo teased. He stood by to Shimmer’s side and cupped his hands for Echo’s foot.
Echo looked at him and shook her head. Through a mouthful of bread she said, “I can get on without your help, you know.”
Keebo’s eyes twinkled at her. “Indulge me, just this once.” Echo studied him for a moment. He’s worried that I’m still weak, she thought. She wanted to smile at the thought, but took a bite of apple instead and walked over to her friend. Placing her foot in Keebo’s hands, she allowed him to assist her.
“Now,” Keebo said to Shimmer, “If you wouldn’t mind, could I please ride, too? I need a break from tree hopping.”
Shimmer nodded as Echo relayed the request to her. Keebo bowed and thanked the horse before gingerly leaping onto Shimmer’s back behind Echo. Echo’s stomach tickled as Keebo wrapped his arms around her waist. She busied herself with finishing her food and then turned her head slightly. “You’d better hold on. Shimmer’s fast,” she warned Keebo.
“Don’t worry. I’ll never let go of you,” Keebo answered. Echo was grateful that he couldn’t see her face.