leave, to get to Ziri before the witch can hurt him.”
Tharin takes me by the hand , and we walk back to join the group. “Tharin,” I ask, “what’s a dresi?”
Without looking at me or breaking his stride, he answers, “A high witch of the dryad, schooled in the dark arts.”
“ We can take her though, right?” I ask, a bit anxious.
“ Being a dresi is one thing, Lily,” he says glancing at me briefly. “But Ka’sith has had centuries to turn her bitterness inward and nothing is more dangerous than a spurned dresi seeking revenge.”
~ * ~
Chapter Six
~ Tharin ~
“Tolan, can you locate Mirnuk?” I ask, putting my concern for Lily aside.
“ Yes, I can,” replies my brother.
“ Wow,” says Mellis to Tolan. “Your abilities are amazing.”
“ Yes, they are and also because I found a pamphlet with the parks information, including the playground,” replies Tolan, waving the pamphlet at us. “They’re all over the place. Anyway, we’ll find Mirnuk within the park, but on the other side from here. When we find him, it will take all my knowledge of the calling to communicate with him.”
I turn to Lily with a half grin. “I’m not leaving you, but you’ll follow behind with Mellis. Understand?”
She squeezes my hand and smiles . “I do, Tharin. One thing,” she asks, standing on her toes to whisper in my near. “Promise me we’ll stay connected.”
My smile broadens . “I promise.”
Facin g the others, I give orders. “Alorn, you’re with Tolan and me. We’ll go ahead. Mellis, you’re with Julia and the queen.”
“ What queen?” asks Mellis with a blank look on his face.
He turns to Lily, breaking into a wide grin teasing her into laughing with him. She lets go of my hand and moves to stand next to Mellis and Julia.
“We have to assume a trap. Harlu may be behind Ka’sith knowing of Ziri being here in Pathen,” says Alorn.
“ I figured as well,” I answer. “I can’t help but feel that we’re being delayed.”
Tolan moves behind Julia, saying, “I think you’re both right. Something’s going on in Velesi and we need to get back. I feel it.”
“ I do, too,” adds Lily. I look at her curiously and she shrugs. “I don’t know how, I just do.”
“ Stay close to Mellis. You’ll only be behind us by a few minutes and we’ll make sure it’s clear before having you and Julia join us at Mirnuk’s. If it is a trap, Mellis will take you to the nearest doorway and you’ll return with him to Velesi.”
Lily shakes her head . “No. I’m staying with you.”
“ And, I’m not leaving Lily. I’m going with her,” says Julia, stepping away from Tolan and closer to Lily.
“ No,” I answer. She doesn’t back down but before she goes off, I say quietly, “You are the queen of the Willow Clan. You have responsibilities to your people and to those of the Oak.” I see the uncertainty in her eyes, but her shoulders drop and to ease my words I continue. “I promise you I’ll stay connected, and yes, the plan is to return to Velesi together. But, just in case it is a trap, you need to return – no matter what happens. Remember, it’s not any of us that Harlu is after, it’s you.”
She steps closer. “And that’s my fault?”
“ No,” says Alorn. “What he’s saying, Lily, is we can’t afford you getting caught. You need to head back to save Velesi.” After a moment’s pause, he finishes, “I give you my word, Lily, if you return to Velesi, Tharin will follow you there.”
I had promised Lily twice now and yet, it seems it is Alorn’s word that she heeds. I watch as she nods, finally agreeing to the plan. Something inside me jerks slightly, but I push it away and let it go.
I turn to Tolan . “Have you located Mirnuk?”
“ Yes. He’s not here in the Botanic Gardens, but close to the outer edge of King’s Park.”
“Have you word
Tharin takes me by the hand , and we walk back to join the group. “Tharin,” I ask, “what’s a dresi?”
Without looking at me or breaking his stride, he answers, “A high witch of the dryad, schooled in the dark arts.”
“ We can take her though, right?” I ask, a bit anxious.
“ Being a dresi is one thing, Lily,” he says glancing at me briefly. “But Ka’sith has had centuries to turn her bitterness inward and nothing is more dangerous than a spurned dresi seeking revenge.”
~ * ~
Chapter Six
~ Tharin ~
“Tolan, can you locate Mirnuk?” I ask, putting my concern for Lily aside.
“ Yes, I can,” replies my brother.
“ Wow,” says Mellis to Tolan. “Your abilities are amazing.”
“ Yes, they are and also because I found a pamphlet with the parks information, including the playground,” replies Tolan, waving the pamphlet at us. “They’re all over the place. Anyway, we’ll find Mirnuk within the park, but on the other side from here. When we find him, it will take all my knowledge of the calling to communicate with him.”
I turn to Lily with a half grin. “I’m not leaving you, but you’ll follow behind with Mellis. Understand?”
She squeezes my hand and smiles . “I do, Tharin. One thing,” she asks, standing on her toes to whisper in my near. “Promise me we’ll stay connected.”
My smile broadens . “I promise.”
Facin g the others, I give orders. “Alorn, you’re with Tolan and me. We’ll go ahead. Mellis, you’re with Julia and the queen.”
“ What queen?” asks Mellis with a blank look on his face.
He turns to Lily, breaking into a wide grin teasing her into laughing with him. She lets go of my hand and moves to stand next to Mellis and Julia.
“We have to assume a trap. Harlu may be behind Ka’sith knowing of Ziri being here in Pathen,” says Alorn.
“ I figured as well,” I answer. “I can’t help but feel that we’re being delayed.”
Tolan moves behind Julia, saying, “I think you’re both right. Something’s going on in Velesi and we need to get back. I feel it.”
“ I do, too,” adds Lily. I look at her curiously and she shrugs. “I don’t know how, I just do.”
“ Stay close to Mellis. You’ll only be behind us by a few minutes and we’ll make sure it’s clear before having you and Julia join us at Mirnuk’s. If it is a trap, Mellis will take you to the nearest doorway and you’ll return with him to Velesi.”
Lily shakes her head . “No. I’m staying with you.”
“ And, I’m not leaving Lily. I’m going with her,” says Julia, stepping away from Tolan and closer to Lily.
“ No,” I answer. She doesn’t back down but before she goes off, I say quietly, “You are the queen of the Willow Clan. You have responsibilities to your people and to those of the Oak.” I see the uncertainty in her eyes, but her shoulders drop and to ease my words I continue. “I promise you I’ll stay connected, and yes, the plan is to return to Velesi together. But, just in case it is a trap, you need to return – no matter what happens. Remember, it’s not any of us that Harlu is after, it’s you.”
She steps closer. “And that’s my fault?”
“ No,” says Alorn. “What he’s saying, Lily, is we can’t afford you getting caught. You need to head back to save Velesi.” After a moment’s pause, he finishes, “I give you my word, Lily, if you return to Velesi, Tharin will follow you there.”
I had promised Lily twice now and yet, it seems it is Alorn’s word that she heeds. I watch as she nods, finally agreeing to the plan. Something inside me jerks slightly, but I push it away and let it go.
I turn to Tolan . “Have you located Mirnuk?”
“ Yes. He’s not here in the Botanic Gardens, but close to the outer edge of King’s Park.”
“Have you word
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