The Whispering (21 page)

I turn to Tolan and Lily
. 
“We can’t risk waiting any longer.”
  I take Lily’s hands. 
“Are you ready?”
 

She nods nervously, but takes a breath and we quickly make our way to the water
’s edge.  Despite the cover of night and rain we move cautiously. Tolan turns and nods before wading into the water and disappears under.  Lily and I walk in after him, treading water until the ground beneath us falls away.  I move in front of her so she can wrap her arm around my shoulders from behind.  We take it slow, trying not to draw attention to our location.  I know Lily’s coat is keeping her warm, but it won’t for long, especially without extra cover on her legs.  The water is freezing and the rain doesn’t help; and I can feel her shiver against me.  I start to worry about hypothermia and quicken my pace without drawing too much attention. 

We slice through the water smoothly
.  I get into a rhythm when I hear someone slip into the lake.  I stop, looking west toward the harbor and see nothing along the shoreline.

“
Lily, keep still.  Don’t move or make a sound,”
I command.  She replies by nodding against my neck.

The rain continues to pelt us and I grow anxious about the morning light peeking over the giant oaks surrounding the lake.  I send out my senses and when I find who it is, I sigh with both relief and annoyance.

“Mellis, what are you doing here?”
I ask as I continue swimming toward the island shores.

“
I got lonely,”
he answers. 
“Ziri and Glynnis aren’t speaking and Julia’s no fun when Tolan and Lily aren’t around.”

Mellis swims
over and keeps pace alongside me as he looks at Lily.  I feel her lift her head and nod at Mellis.

“
Lily?”
  I call.

“
I’m okay, Tharin,”
she answers weakly.  The cold, and the long trek through the caves, is taking a toll on her.  It has been a long trip and she must be exhausted.  I pick up the pace again while Mellis keeps up. 

“
The shoreline is clear,”
reports Mellis. 
“They have the harbor and the bridge heavily guarded.  How did you bypass the mercenaries?”

“
I took them out.  What made you come this way?”
I ask, keeping my mind on Lily’s arms.  They are starting to go limp on me.  She has been quiet for awhile now.

“
I knew Tolan would approach the tower from the harbor.  When I saw Dorlan there with a small army of demons and orcs I decided to scout the shoreline for him and Lily.  I only spotted you because I was looking for you, otherwise, they can't see you from the harbor.”

“
What of the others?”
I ask, trying to keep my mind focused.  The cold is starting to numb my chest.  When Mellis answers, I feel the strain on him as well.

“
It took some convincing,”
he continues with chattering teeth. 
“But Julia finally agreed to head off to the Willow with Ziri and Glynnis,”
he answers with a chuckle. 
“I had to tell her that she was still a guard of the king and it was her duty to go and protect him no matter what.”

I mentally nod at that.  Julia is stubborn but she has a sense of honor and loyalty.  I have no idea why, but the two men from Pathen I saw earlier pop to mind. 

“Lily?”
I nudge gently. 

“
Yes, Tharin?”
I feel the exhaustion in her thoughts.

“
Did you see anyone in the caves?”

“
No, but I heard them.  It was dark and Cessa was with me.”
Even in thought her words are sluggish.  I gauge the distance to the shore – almost there.

“
Any you recognize?”

“
Uh-huh,”
she answers before her limbs loosen slightly. 

Her arms are cramped from holding on tightly, but they slip from around my neck.  I catch them with one hand while continuing forward with the other. 

“Hey, you all right?”
I ask, trying to keep my thoughts light.

“
I’m sorry, Tharin.  I’m so cold.  I can’t feel my arms and legs,”
she answers quietly.

Mellis slips behind
me and grabs hold of her, keeping her head above water.  I slip from her hold and take her other arm, carrying her between us as we swim to shore. 

It is another ten minutes before we reach the shore
where Tolan waits for us.  He rushes over and takes Lily as he wraps a heavy blanket around her.  He picks her up easily and heads toward the oak trees for cover as we follow close behind.  The red oak opens its thela to us and immediately the single panswa lights up, heating the small room.

Tolan calls the panswa close to where he lays
a trembling Lily.  He quickly removes her boots and coat and then reaches for a nearby bag.  I recognize the bottle of elixir that will revitalize her energy and watch as he puts it to her lips.  She can’t heal herself if she doesn’t have the strength to.

Mellis and I quickly strip out of our wet clothes.  I dry
myself and dress in new clothes from a heavy chest; one that is in every thela designated for a time such as this.  By the time I have my socks on, Tolan has a wall up to give Lily some privacy.

I sit at the table as Mellis start to brew sweet bark tea.  He then pulls out bread and cheese from
a food box, placing it on the table.  Tolan walks over and sits across from me, a look of relief on his face.

“
Were you able to get to the grotto?” I ask as I reach for the food.

“
Yes, but it’s heavily guarded, courtesy of Dorlan, I’m sure.”

“
Or Kolinest,” I add.  “I mean, Sema and Ka did say he has been here since we were young.  Probably the same time Kalis and Nameth appeared at our doorsteps.”

“
So,” says Mellis, “should we assume they know of the thelas throughout the realm?”

“
I’m sure they do,” I say.  “But they don’t know all of them, this one included.  There are thelas within each clan district that will only open to Phoris and Tolan.” 

“
What of Dorlan?” asks Mellis.

“
I don’t know,” I reply honestly.  “But, he is definitely not thinking of destroying the realm.  The Sithide, like many others, don’t have the means to leave.”

“
I’m just curious when the Sithide will finally join in,” wonders Tolan.

“
Nameth was an exception; maybe Kolinest found her when she was a child and manipulated her to join in his plans,” I say.  “But Dorlan?  I believe once he discovered Kolinest’s true reasons for finding the doorway, he had a change of heart.  He married Queen Kinia’s daughter so he has her ear, and her trust.  She won’t join Kolinest’s army without Dorlan’s go ahead.”

Lily
appears from behind the wall carrying her wet clothes. 

“
Where can I put these to dry?” she asks looking about the small room.

“
We won’t be able to wait for them to dry, Lily,” I say, looking her over carefully.

The dark pants are two sizes too big and the jersey hangs on her like a short nightgown.  Her wet hair is finger-combed back but
at least there is color in her cheeks.    She stands looking down at her jeans and shirt, the clothes she wore the first night I met her.  I’m confused by the sad look on her face as she stares at them.

“
So, I have to leave them behind, don’t I?” she says more to herself.  She looks up at me with a small smile.  “What about my coat?  Will it take time for it to dry, too?”

“
Your coat will be dry by the time we leave, Lily,” answers Mellis.  “Come sit, I made bark tea.”

That seems
to distract her from her clothes.  “Bark tea? Um, that doesn’t sound very appealing.”

Mellis
feigns a hurt look.  “Have I ever steered you wrong, cousin?  I mean, these two,” he waves his hand at Tolan and me.  “Most definitely, but me?  Not once, my queen.  Come sit here.  Honor us with your presence and I will prove to you that you have nothing to fear from the bark tea.”

Mellis pulls out a chair and she laughs at his bravado.  I stand and take her clothes from her and for a moment she holds onto them, not wanting to let go. 
I’m perplexed, and when she realizes she still has a grip on her clothes releases them quickly.

“
Sorry,” she says sheepishly.  She smiles and takes Mellis’ offered seat and hot cup of bark tea.  She looks at me and says, “Shouldn’t we be going?”

“
We wait for Alorn.” I watch her face and note her blank stare.  She nods without saying anything else and takes a sip from the sweet tea.

“
Oh my God, Mellis, this is so good.  This is bark tea?” she asks, taking a longer sip.

“
I’m a great cook, Lily.  You should try my cup of water when you get a chance.  I use the finest ingredients,” replies Mellis with a wink.

“
Alorn should be here soon,” offers Tolan.

Lily turns to him
.  “How does he know where we are?”

“
I sent a message sphere to the cave opening.  It’s hidden, a cover inlay only we know about,” replies Mellis.

Lily nods, steals a glance at me and takes another sip.

I think back to my conversation with Dorlan and recall him saying he would catch up with Alorn.  I get up and reach for my coat.

“
Tharin,” calls Tolan, stopping me. “What did Dorlan mean about the attack at the park?”

I put on my coat as I explain. 
“The skirmish at the park was a setup to get to you.  You’re the only one who knows the summoning to open the doorway to Eirrell.”  There is a question on his lips but before he can ask, I continue.  “Nameth may have been at your practices, but not during the summoning practices; Madeas wouldn’t allow it.  She didn’t know the summoning; otherwise they would have found the opening and only come after Lily.”

Tolan leans
forward, placing his elbows on the table and lacing his fingers under his chin.

“
Tharin, they sent her to us to be killed?  She was sacrificed so the doors to the UnderRealm could be open?”

“
I don’t understand,” says Lily, confused.  “How did she open them?”

“
She served as the catalyst to open all doorways, including the one to the UnderRealm,” I explain.  “Kolinest had her close the doorways and it was Harlu's job to keep us occupied while trying to take Tolan.  It was Nameth's energy that closed the doors, so when Tolan took her life the energy that tied her to the doorways caused a release, a blast that re-opened the doorways, including the UnderRealm.  It was brief, but long enough to release a small army of demons.  Some of those demons may have escaped into other realms, including Pathen.”

“
And it had to be Tolan who had to kill her,” adds Mellis somberly.

I nod, looking at my brother. 
“They knew what would happen.  Only a Summoner can pull a calling from a Caller.  Tolan didn’t realize it at the time, but that’s exactly what he did when he snapped Nameth’s neck.  I suspect they also hoped that the blast would've shown them the location of the doorway to Eirrell.  It didn’t.”

“
So they don’t know where the doorway is?” asks Lily.

Tolan reaches into his pocket and pulls out the
Junsper stone.  “If they did then why would the Mother have Glynnis bring this to me?  No, I don’t think they found it but we have to assume they believe I know the way.”

“
Do you?” asks Mellis.

“
No, but this is supposed to tell me,” answers Tolan as he slides the stone flower to the center of the table.

Lily leans over to take a better look.  She suddenly takes the stone
, giving it an even closer look.

“
What is it, Lily? “ I ask.

“
Tharin, don’t you recognize it?”  She holds out the stone, first to me and then Tolan.  “Don’t either of you recognize the shape of the stone?  It’s the flower in your mother’s garden, the purple ones.  They’re all over the archway into your mother's garden; the ones that smell like jasmine.”

Tolan grabs it from her and
examines it.  “Of course, the garden is a gateway to Malainisi and a pathway to all the clans.”

The old stories our mother use
d to tell us when we were young comes back to me. 

“
Remember the story Mother told us of the Unnamed Sidhe?” I ask Tolan.

Mellis
shakes his head.  “We’ve all heard of it, Tharin.  What’s it got to do with the doorway?”

I
run my hand through my hair as I recall what she said.  “There was something she once told us that wasn’t in any of the other stories of him.  It was something about how he came to the Willow clan.”