The Last of the Sea Elves Page 17
He picked up Kamo’s spear and dashed into the woods.
“I didn’t want to believe they were looking for me,” Rolin breathed.
Kamo turned slowly, her jaw set and her hands curled in fists near her side. “What?” she seethed at Rolin.
“I… I didn’t think they were looking for me,” he sputtered again. “The wars ended more than a year ago. I didn’t think I would matter to them anymore. You have to believe me,” he pleaded.
“Why? Why should I believe you? You lied about being a Talker. Why should I believe you’re telling the truth now?”
Rolin moved a step closer to her and tried to catch her shoulder, but Kamo was too quick. She pulled away and swatted the air where his hand had been.
“I didn’t tell you I was a Talker because I thought it would be safer for you that way,” he said calmly. His shoulders were relaxed, and his eyes were searching hers, begging her forgiveness. “Talkers are always in danger. If you had known my ability, you would have been in danger too.”
“Well, that worked splendidly for you, didn’t it? You didn’t tell me you were a Talker, war time captains came searching for you, and I have to lie to save your life, and probably mine and Gobi’s as well!” she yelled. “Couldn’t you trust me? Couldn’t you tell me that you...” she paused and gasped for breath. “I am the last of my kind. You said you knew what that was like. Why couldn’t you tell me?”
Rolin moved again, and this time Kamo didn’t pull away. He lifted her chin, so their eyes met. “It was wrong. And I’m sorry. I have no excuse more than what I’ve told you. I didn’t want you to worry about who might be looking for the last of the Talkers,” he said. “Can you understand? I wanted you to be safe, and I wanted to stay safe,” he added. He laughed softly, “But I suppose I was never safe.”
“And Gobi?” Kamo asked, “How long has he known?”
“Since the day I met him, and that's the truth,” Rolin replied. Kamo stepped back, and Rolin let her go.
“You weren’t worried about his safety?” she sneered.
Rolin grinned for a moment but returned his face to a somber expression as Kamo stared daggers in his direction. “I was careless the day I met him. I was eager to leave the confines of the army and its code. I wanted to use my languages for friendship and commerce. In my enthusiasm, I greeted each member of the crew in Oshia, thinking they would be thrilled to have a Talker in their midst. But there was one man on board who started giving me some trouble. He asked if I was a Talker, and as I was about to answer, Gobi intervened. He told the man that it was just a trick, that he had taught me Oshian greetings to entertain the crew. Later that day, Gobi pulled me aside. He was young, it was hard to listen to him, but I’m glad I did. He told me that though these were good men, someone of my ability should be careful in any company. Talkers in Brimhaul were highly sought after. They often had targets painted on their backs for the rest of their lives after they met their obligations,” he said quietly. “Gobi most likely saved my life that day, and I have kept my secret since then, as he has.” A look of appreciation beamed from his face.
“How long has the target been on your back?” Kamo asked softly, her anger beginning to ebb.
Rolin’s hand moved to the back of his neck, and his head tilted as it had so many times before when he was nervous or unsure. “I don’t know,” he muttered. “The war was over. I thought I was free to leave my post. My interceptions were never of much value, anyway. Or so I thought,” he mumbled. “I couldn’t even begin to know what information I have that would warrant an assassination,” he said, his brows furrowed in confusion and concentration.
“I don’t think we have time to worry about that just yet,” Kamo said, talking to herself as much as to him. “Those men said there are more searching for you. We need to find Gobi and search for shelter while we decide what to do.” She shouldered her way past Rolin and walked toward their camp. As she walked, she pulled her hair into a tight bun. Rolin sighed.
“Relax, it’s not like I have a bounty on my head,” he said smiling.
Kamo whirled around to stare at him, “That you know of,” she scoffed. She spun back around and began disassembling her tent. After a moment, she paused and thought of all her supposedly secret conversations with Gobi. She put down her things and ran straight at Rolin, fists flying in the air.
She moved quickly and smoothly. Rolin didn’t have time to react. They collided and fell to the ground. Kamo pinned his arms. “So this whole time you’ve known? You’ve heard what Gobi and I said? About you, and me? And, everything?” she yelled at him.
Rolin blushed for a moment, blinking his vision back into focus. She had knocked his head to the ground in the tumble, and his eyes watered in protest. He flashed her a smile, “I’m afraid so, love,” he whispered to her.
Kamo let go of his arms and rolled to the ground next to him in defeat, covering her face with both hands. “I’m going to kill Gobi,” she said, her cheeks and ears bright red.
Rolin sat up on his elbows and laughed. “It’s not his fault,” he said. “In fact, he did try to keep my eavesdropping to a minimum,” he offered. “That being said, there are a few things I want to clarify now. Do you really think I’m arrogant?” he said as he turned to look at the hands covering her scarlet face.
Kamo groaned. “I am not having this conversation,” she said through weaved fingers. With a sigh, she uncovered her face and moved to stand up. Rolin seized the opportunity, leaned in quickly, and kissed her on the cheek. Stunned and suddenly nervous, Kamo remained on the ground for a few moments. Rolin stood and gallantly offered his hand.
“Gobi was right, by the way,” he teased as he pulled her up. She gazed at him, a little confused.
“Right about what?” she asked.
“I do like your hair down.” He stole another kiss on her cheek and limped from the camp, shouting Gobi’s name.
Chapter Seventeen
Despite his injury, Rolin seemed able to keep pace with Kamo and Gobi, and they made it to the gate's location within two days. Kamo always took the first watch when they stopped for the night, Rolin took second, and Gobi the last, though it was an uneventful journey.
“Here we are,” Rolin said as they reached the final plateau. The terrain was still dense with trees, but Kamo could walk to the mountain edge where the trail started down the other side. They arrived at mid-day, and the sun shone straight overhead as Kamo looked out over the valley. A fresh blanket of snow covered it, and the far-away trees looked as if they had been sprinkled with powder. Kamo could no longer see the wall outlining Blosso, but she saw a beautiful, frozen lake on the horizon.
“Lake Blosso,” Rolin said, coming up behind her. “You can’t see it from the village because of the trees on the west, but the locals know exactly where to find it.”
“I miss the water,” Kamo said. “I miss the sea, I miss sailing. I miss feeling a sun that actually warms you,” she said, covering her pink nose with her hands.
“Me too,” Gobi joined them. “If I have any sea legs left by the time we’re through, it’ll be a miracle.”
Kamo turned from the view and spoke to Gobi. “I think it’s time for me to join you Fire elves,” she said reluctantly, “will you help me with the dyes?”
“Of course.”
The process was slow, and Kamo pursed her lips and bit her cheek as the red dye dripped through her hair, but Gobi diligently followed her instructions, and her once white-haired head became transformed into a dark strawberry blonde.
Her scales took less time. Gobi painted them expertly with the make-up, and Kamo had to admit that the color suited her skin tone when she examined herself in the mirror.
“Well,” she asked, “how do I look as a Fire?”
“Marvelous,” Gobi said, “I don’t think Rolin will recognize you.”
While Gobi helped in her transformation, Rolin busied himself preparing camp and gathering wood for a fire.
He was hunched over th
e make-shift fire pit as Kamo snuck up behind him.
“How do I look?” she asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.
He immediately turned to face her, and his eyes got wide as his jaw dropped.
“You look,” he breathed, “you look…”
“So you like the red better, then.”
“No, no, of course not better,” he stuttered, “but this suits you just as well.”
“Thank you,” said Kamo.
Rolin stood and reached for her now red scales. “If I didn’t know any better, I would swear these are real,” he said.
Kamo turned her cheek to the fire as she blushed at his touch. “Technically, they are real. I’d say we’re ready, disguise-wise. What’s our plan?” she asked. “The gate appears tomorrow.”
“Well, I agree that we look pretty convincing as Fire elves… not that I have much for reference, I suppose,” Gobi said, “But they may ask us where we’ve been.”
“I don’t think so,” Rolin said, “the sentinels I saw before made their round to the gate, searched for anyone coming, and said they didn’t expect to see anyone until the next time around at least.”
“Who were they expecting?” Kamo asked, lighting the fire with a snap.
“A pair of brothers, I think? They said their names… If you give me a moment, I may be able to remember.”
Rolin put a finger to his forehead. “I think their names were Brough and Bron, of the Glera house,” Rolin said.
“And did they say where they’d be traveling from?” Kamo asked patiently.
“I want to say they had some business up Tartha way, settling a land dispute between a group of Fire elves and some humans,” Rolin replied.
“Were they speaking common?”
“No, Fershi, Fire elf language.”
“That does complicate things a bit,” Kamo said.
“I’ll be spokesperson,” Rolin said, “and I can always relay things to you in Oshia. I don’t think that’s a common language in this region.”
“It’s not a great plan, but I suppose we don’t have much of a choice,” Kamo said.
There was no game to hunt this high on the mountain, so they settled for a meal of bread and dried fruits. Rolin and Gobi wished her goodnight as the moon hung in the sky, and she started her watch.
Kamo bent to the fire and raised her hands to its warmth. Their journey had become almost routine, and she enjoyed this portion of it. Rolin and Gobi sought refuge in their tent and left her to stand watch. Most nights were quiet, which left her with plenty of time to ponder and reminisce. As she watched the fire dance above the logs, she thought longingly of home. She breathed in and tried to imagine a warm sun and a salty breeze, but the chill mountain air wafted with pine and ice. Bitterly, Kamo sighed and sat down near the fire, resigned to the reality of her cold, musty surroundings.
She heard a rustle behind her, and her hand gripped the spear at her side as she turned.
“Are you always this lazy on watch?” came Rolin’s sleepy voice.
Relieved, Kamo relaxed her grip. “No, I only just sat down. I figured I wouldn’t be much use to anyone if my fingers freeze and fall off from the cold.” She held up her hands to show him her tensed, white fingers.
He walked over to her and sat down beside her. “May I?” he said, offering a hand. Gently, he took her fingers in his and began to rub the feeling back into them. She hadn’t expected this expression of tenderness, but she didn’t pull her hand away. Instead, she moved closer to his body, insisting to herself that the proximity to the fire alone made her cheeks flush.
“I know I’ve said it before, but we should have gotten you some gloves,” he said apologetically. “I guess Sea elves aren’t born to brave the snow.” He flashed her a teasing smile.
Kamo’s rosy cheeks took on a little more color, and a playful scoff escaped her throat. She nudged his ribs hard, and he fell away from her.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” he laughed. He sat up and moved closer to take her hands again.
“I spent my life on the ocean. Snow wasn’t even in my vocabulary. You can hardly expect me to adjust to it quickly,” she said, vaguely aware that his hands were now just resting softly on hers.
“I know,” he replied. “I just wish I had the decency to think of gloves before we trekked up in the cold.” His face was thoughtful. He squeezed her hands tightly and let go. Kamo was silently protesting when he moved closer to her side and wrapped one arm around her waist. His other hand searched for hers, and she shivered as their fingers intertwined.
It wasn’t hard for Kamo to imagine a warm sun now. Rolin’s warmth encompassed her. She felt wonderfully giddy and a little nervous.
His face was close to hers, and she could see the stubble growing on his cheeks and jaw. He was staring into the fire, the light reflecting the blaze in his dark eyes. Cautiously, she leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder. He winced a little, and Kamo tried to pull away from his touch.
“I’m sorry,” she said quickly.
He let her go, a confused look on his face. “Why did you move away?” he asked.
“You… I thought I was making you uncomfortable, that’s all,” Kamo mumbled.
He smiled softly. “You could never make me uncomfortable. But, you could accidentally rest your head on my bruised shoulder,” he said. He pulled his shirt away from the shoulder she had rested on to reveal a blue and purple bruise. With some embarrassment, Kamo remembered how he had gotten it.
“I’m so sorry, I thought it would have healed some by now,” she cried. “You need some ice on that shoulder. It’ll help the swelling go down.” She began to stand, but he took her shoulder and pulled her closer.
“I don’t need ice. Though, I’m not going to stop you if you wanted to kiss it better,” he teased, a mischievous smile on his face.
The color in Kamo’s cheeks spread to the tips of her ears as she settled back down next to him. “I don’t think so, sailor,” she grinned.
Undeterred, he spoke again, whispering so only she could hear. “Then how about just a kiss.”
Before she could breathe, he swept her gently into his chest, and his lips fell on hers in a soft cascade. His hand and arm wrapped around her waist, willing her closer still, and she couldn’t resist. She moved into him, running her fingers through his long hair, her other hand resting on his chest. He kissed her harder, and a blaze of fire shot down her spine, tingling every inch of her body. The hand at her waist wandered up her back, lingering on every curve. She moved her hand to pull his neck closer in a tumble of passion, and he pulled away, wincing at the forgotten bruise she had wounded again.
Kamo let go of him and cupped her face with both hands. “I’m so, so sorry,” she whispered, her voice muffled and shy. “I must have gotten carried away.”
He took her hands from her face and kissed each finger in turn. Then, he got on his knees and kissed her forehead. She looked up to meet his gaze. “You would have carried me away with you,” he whispered.
This time as he leaned in, Kamo rested both hands gently on his chest, afraid of once again forgetting about the pain she could cause.
He kissed her gently and cautiously. His lips were light on hers, a soft reminder that he was here, he was real. Both his arms were around her waist, resting on her hips, hands clasped behind her back. She didn’t know how long they stayed this way, tied up in a soft moment. It felt like seconds and ages all at the same time.
A noise from the tent startled them back to their surroundings, and they looked toward the tent where Gobi quietly leaned against the trunk of a fir tree, arms folded, a knowing smile on his smug face.
“Well, it’s about time.”
Chapter Eighteen
The dawn brought new light, and Kamo awoke without the usual chill in her bed. The light from the sun seemed to penetrate through her canvas tent, which made her boots and blanket seem too heavy for the weather.
Getting out of her tent, she noticed that Gobi
and Rolin had shed some layers as well. Rolin tied his coat to his pack, and Gobi had let his collar hang loose instead of buttoning it tight.
“It’s so warm today,” she said.
“I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t tell you that surprise,” Rolin said. “I thought it would be pleasant for you to enjoy the warmth the gates bring.”
“It certainly makes me feel more at home,” she said smiling.
She had chosen to wear her old shoes, not the heavy boots, and the fur jacket and hat were tucked safely in her pack as she took down her tent.
“It’ll get warmer as the day goes on,” Rolin explained, “the gate should appear around midday.”
“What do we do until then?” Kamo asked, suddenly anxious for the time to pass.
“Well, I could teach you some Fershi,” Rolin offered, “it certainly couldn’t hurt. And Kamo, you can do your meditating and maybe practice honing those fire skills as Panchon suggested.
Kamo agreed and spent the first part of the morning basking in the sunlight, breathing deeply. She tried channeling her emotions, especially her anger, but as her skin drank in the warmth of the sun, she found that her memories for the day were all pleasant and just as warm as she felt.
Still, I’ve got to try to concentrate. Breathe, concentrate, and breathe.
She tried to follow Panchon’s instructions, but the light and sun filled her head. She couldn’t summon any fiery, angry emotion.
She joined Rolin and Gobi, peaceful and calm.
“Feeling alright?” Gobi asked.
“I think so,” said Kamo, “I tried meditating to summon my fire, and I couldn’t. As strange as it sounds, I think I’m too happy.”
“Well, in that case, let’s skip the fire practice and aim for the language practice, shall we?” Rolin asked. “Let’s start with the basics. ‘Hello,’” he said, waving.
“Sounds similar to Oshia,” Gobi said. Then, he repeated the word, waving back, looking nervously at Rolin.
“That’s right, Gobi,” he said, “Kamo, you go.”