Glancing across the shadows of the camp, Thealos saw Justin watching him with a frown and a look of disgust. Thealos met Justin’s disapproving stare and held it. “Try and get some sleep, both of you,” he said to Flent and Ticastasy before moving away from them to join Justin.
Justin huddled in his dark robes, his features almost indistinguishable in the darkness. As Thealos drew near, he felt heat emanating from the other Shae and saw that he was comfortable in the coolness. The tiniest wisp of Earth magic flavored the air. Justin’s blue eyes glimmered in the dark.
“You are too familiar with the human girl.”
“I have not broken any of the Rules of Forbiddance,” Thealos replied, dropping into a low crouch before the other. “They are my friends. I deserve no reproach for that.”
Justin smirked contemptuously. “The Drugaen is harmless. A child. He covets her friendship and nothing else. But the girl is dangerous. She cares for you, and you know that love between our races is Forbidden.”
“You mistake her affection,” Thealos countered. “There is another she has given her heart to. She wears his regard on a chain around her neck even now. But who I chose to make my friends isn’t your business.” He gave the other Shae a level look. “Now, I did not have time to translate everything Jaerod told us tonight. But you seemed to recognize some of what he said. You know of Sol-don-Orai?”
Justin nodded. “I’ve been there.”
His statement didn’t startle Thealos. “And the Everoot?”
“It was the cause of her destruction.” Justin’s eyes flashed with anger. “I do not trust the human who holds it. His loyalties are divided, I think. He prances and speaks like a Shae, but he is still a human to the core.”
Thealos frowned. “Jaerod is the reason I am here. He wants to stop the sickness that plagued and destroyed the Empire. He doesn’t want it to happen again here in this land.”
“And are you Vannier, who can read the true intents of a man’s heart?” Justin asked mockingly. “How do you know he isn’t using you for his own ends?”
“He isn’t.”
“But how do you know?”
Thealos stared at Justin. “I don’t think…”
“It does not matter what you think,” Justin interrupted. “You trust the humans – it is as obvious as lightning in a rainstorm. But I do not. I have known too many to ever trust them. They twist our ways and profane our gods. They mock us, my friend.” He shook his head. “I am not a Banished One. I cannot abandon our heritage that easily.”
“Is that what you think I’ve done?” Thealos challenged in a harsh whisper. “Abandoned our faith? To trust them? Do you know what has happened to the Shae since the days of Sol-don-Orai? Sweet Vannier, they have taken nearly the entire valley from us as a result of our ‘trust’! The eastern river is the last boundary they haven’t dared cross. The rest is theirs. We’ve been pushed and cramped up against the Ravenstone mountains where the bloody Drugaen have been fighting since I was born!” He noticed that Flent and Ticastasy were looking at him with concern. He calmed his voice, grateful they didn’t speak Silvan. “I did not allow that to happen to our people. I am here because I believe the Sunedrion will finally involve itself in this war if they know what is happening down here. And if we get involved, we take back some of what was ours. The leader of the Bandit Rebellion is our enemy, not Sol-don-Orai, not Jaerod. The leader’s name is Ballinaire and he has taken the Everoot, and he is using it without instruction on its dangers. That is Forbidden.” He glared at Justin. “But I must have proof when I return to Avisahn. If I’m to convince them that the humans have found and are spoiling Everoot, I must have proof. They will not move without it.”
Justin leaned forward and gripped Thealos’ arm. “Then make me your proof! The records at Avisahn, they will tell me what I need to know – what I cannot remember because of my long sleep. The records of my watchpost are ruined. Everything has sunk and fallen into the bog. But they kept all the records in Avisahn, in Silverborne’s palace.” His eyes were eager, intense. “Come with me, Thealos. Come with me to Avisahn. Let us find the truth and tell the Sunedrion together. The witnesses of two Shae are worth more than all of these unbelievers combined.”
Thealos shook his head, frustrated. “I can’t.” He rubbed his eyes, not wanting to explain about Nordain. If he went back without any evidence, he would spend the entire war in a Shae prison. “The only defense we have against the horrors of Sol-don-Orai is a Silvan artifact – the Silverkin Crystal. The Crystal is ours if we can get there first. Jaerod knows where it is…”
“He knows nothing.”
“I know more than you think,” the Sleepwalker said from the darkness, Allavin Devers in tow behind him. They joined the two Shae. Justin’s eyes glittered like dagger tips.
XXIV