The Emerald Storm (The Riyria Revelations #4)

“That’s it?” Grady asked.

“Wait,” Dilladrum said as the leopard-skinned man approached. They spoke for a moment then Dilladrum returned. “The village of Oudorro asks our forgiveness for the misunderstanding and begs the honor to continue as our host.”

They looked at one another skeptically.

“They are sincere.”

Wesley sighed and nodded. “Thank them for their kindness, but we will be leaving in the morning.”

“Kindness?” Derning muttered. “They nearly skinned us alive. We should get out now while we can.”

“I see no advantage in venturing into these jungles at night,” Wesley affirmed. “We will leave at first light.”

“And what about Melborn?” Thranic hissed.

“You, Doctor Levy, and Seamen Blackwater and Melborn will come with me. The rest I order to quarters to get as much sleep as possible.”

A young Tenkin trotted up to them and spoke to Dilladrum, his eyes watching Royce.

“What is it?” Wesley asked.

“Fan Irlanu has requested Royce and Hadrian.”

Before Thranic could object, they both nodded and offered an “Aye, aye, sir.”





***




Fan Irlanu lay on a bed beneath a thin white sheet, as a young girl patted her forehead with a damp cloth rinsed repeatedly in a shallow basin. Joqdan remained at her side. His great spear, still covered in Zulron’s blood, stood by the door.

“Is she really all right?” Hadrian asked.

“I vill be fine,” Fan Irlanu replied. “Et vas a terrible shock. Et vill take time.”

“I’m sorry,” Royce offered.

“I know,” she told him. Her face was sympathetic to the point of sadness. “I know you are.”

“You saw something?”

“Vere I to touch Joqdan’s ’and vis dee tulan smoke in me, I could tell us vaat ’e ate for dee midday meal yesterday and vaat ’e vill eat tomorrow. If I touched Galenti’s ’and, I could name dee woman ’e vill marry and ou vill outlive dee other. I could also tell dee precise events dat vill surround ’is death. So clear ez my sight dat I can see a life in detail, but not you. You are a mystery, a cloud. Looking into you ez like seeing a mountain range in a thick fog—I can only see dee ’igh points vis no means of connecting dem. You are kaz in dee Ghazel tongue—in your language a mir, yes?—a mix of ’uman and elven blood. This gives you a long life.” She paused to gather some strength and Joqdan’s brow furrowed further.

“Imagine looking down a road, you see most dings clearly, dee trees, dee rocks, dee leaves. But vis you, et ez as if I am standing ’igh in dee air staring out at dee ’orizon—very few details. My sight can only span so far and dat does not include dee lifespan of a kaz. Dere ez too much.”

“But you saw something.”

“I saw many dings. Too many,” she told him. Her eyes were soft and comforting.

“Tell me,” Royce said. “Please, I know a woman. She is very much like you, but something troubles her. She won’t speak of it, and I think she has seen things like you have—things that trouble her.”

“She ez Tenkin?”

“I’m not sure, but she bears the same mark as you.”

Fan Irlanu nodded. “I sent for you because of vaat I saw. I vill tell you vaat I know and den I must rest. I may sleep for a long time, and Joqdan vill not allow any to disturb me. So, I must speak now. I am certain I vill not see you again. As I said, I saw much, but understood little—too much distance, too much time. Most are vague feelings dat are ’ard to put in words, but vaat I sensed was powerful.”

Royce nodded.

She paused a moment, thinking, then said, “Darkness surrounds you, death ez everywhere, et stalks you, hunts you and you feed upon et—blood begets blood—dee darkness consumes you. In dis darkness, I saw two lights beside you. One vill blow out and in dat same breeze, dee other flickers, but et must not go out. You must protect dee flame against dee storm.

“I saw a secret—et ez ah…et ez ’idden. Et ez covered, dis great treasure. A man ’ides et, but a woman knows—she alone knows and so she prepares. She speaks in riddles dat vill be revealed—profound truths disguised for now. You vill remember veen dee time comes, dee path laid out for you—in dee dark.”

Joqdan spoke something in Tenkin, but Fan Irlanu shook her head and pushed on.

“I saw a great journey. Ten upon dee road, she ou vears dee light vill lead dee vay. Dee road goes deep into dee earth, and into despair. Dee voices of dee dead guide your steps. You walk back in time. Dee three ’zousand year battle begins again. Cold grips dee vorld, death comes to all and a choice ez before you. You alone stand in dee balance, your veight vill tilt dee scales, but to vich side is unclear. You must choose between darkness and light, and your choice vill affect many.” She paused, shaking her head slowly. “Like trees in a forest, like blades of grass—too many to count. And I fear dat in dee end you vill choose dee darkness and turn your back to dee light.”

“You said she,” Royce questioned. “Who did you mean? Is it Gwen?”

“I do not know names. Dey are mere feelings, glimpses of a dream.”

“What is this secret?”

“I do not know, it ez ’idden.”

“When you say there are two lights and one blows out, does that mean someone will die?”

She nodded. “I dink so—yes, et felt dat vay. I sensed a loss, so great I still feel et.” She reached out and touched Royce’s hand and a tear slipped down her cheek. “Your road ez one of great anguish.”

Royce said nothing for a moment, then asked, “What is this great journey?”

She shook her head. “I vish I knew more. Your life—your whole life ’as been pain and so much more lies ahead. I am sorry, but I cannot tell you more dan dat.”

“She rests now,” Joqdan told them. From his firm tone they knew it was time to go.

They walked out of the hut and found Wyatt watching out for them.

“Waiting up?” Hadrian asked.

“Didn’t want you to step into the wrong hut by accident.” He gave a wink.

“The rest bunked down?”

He nodded. “So, you’re an elf,” Wyatt said to Royce. “That explains a lot. What did the lady want?”

“To tell me my future.”

“Good news?”

“It nearly killed her. What do you think?”





Chapter 17

The Palace of the Four Winds


Thranic was furious. Wesley refused to take any action against Royce, and the sentinel railed that under imperial law all elves were subject to arrest. Wesley had little choice but to acknowledge this, but added that given their circumstances, he had neither a prison nor chains. He also pointed out that they were not within the bounds of the New Empire, and until they were he was the sole judge of the law.