The Elves of Cintra (Book 2 of The Genesis of Shannara)

“Take it easy on me, will you? You’re crushing me!”


She laughed as she said it and hugged him back. She was strong and athletic, so it would take a lot before he could do any real damage to her. Kirisin idolized his sister in the way little brothers have idolized older sisters forever: there wasn’t anyone like her and never would be. She was six years and a lifetime of experience older than he was. More to the point, he thought her everything he wasn’t—tall and smart and beautiful. She was a Tracker of exceptional skills, well liked and respected by everyone, and was to many the kind of friend you always hoped you would find and keep.

“I missed you,” he said.

“Good. I’d hate it if you didn’t.”

She glanced down at his clothes. “Where in the world have you been? Rolling in dirt? You look like a groundhog! You don’t smell very good, either.”

She pushed him away and sat him down on the steps. “Here,”

she said, handing him her glass of ale. “Drink this and tell me what you’ve been doing.”

He never considered not telling her. She was Simralin, and he always told her everything—even the things he would never tell his parents.

He started with the Ellcrys speaking to him and asking for his help, and then related the details of his efforts to secure help from the King, his discovery that he had been lied to, his confrontation with Erisha and her change of heart.

He ended with today’s futile efforts to find the grave site of the Elven Queen Pancea Rolt Cruer. He explained how he and Erisha had thought to find some mention of the Elfstones in the Elven histories and how old Culph had discovered them, threatened to expose them, and then became their ally. Heeven threw in his concerns about the King’s behavior and how strange it seemed that he would sacrifice the Ellcrys to save his daughter.

When he had finished, Simralin stared at him for a moment, as if making up her mind about something, and then said, “That’s a pretty strange story, Little K. Are you sure about all this? You’re not dressing it up for me, are you?”

“Of course not! I wouldn’t do that!” He was indignant and irritated at her. “Why would you ask me that?”

“Calm down,” she soothed, reaching out to grip his shoulder. “I said it because things are a whole lot stranger than you think.

Listen to what just happened to me.”

She told him then about her encounter with the Knight of the Word, Angel Perez, and the tatterdemalion, Ailie. She explained carefully how it had happened, the strange way she had heard Ailie calling to her, how they had found the two waiting for them, and how they had revealed what had brought them to the Cintra and the Elves.

Then she told him what Angel had said about the Loden and the Elfstones and the end of the world.

“I knew it!” he exclaimed, his voice fierce. “This wasn’t just me and Erisha! The Ellcrys really did know that she was in danger and that the Elves were threatened in some way and that she needed us to do something!

It wasn’t just my imagination!”

“But the King doesn’t think so,” Simralin pressed.

Kirisin shook his head. “I don’t know what he thinks.

Neither does Erisha.

He knows something we don’t, though. He wouldn’t be acting this way otherwise. He won’t even consider letting Erisha do what the Ellcrys wants her to do, and he’s been avoiding me for days. He’s been lying to me, come to that!”

“Maybe. Or maybe it just seems that way. You can’t be sure what his reasons are for not wanting to act on what you told him.” Simralin shook her head. “Our family hasn’t been close to Arissen Belloruus for some time, not since his falling-out with our parents. But I know him well enough to question that he would ever do anything that would endanger our people. He is devoted to the Elves. I’ve seen him demonstrate it time and time again. I think there must be something more.”

“Maybe so,” Kirisin allowed. “But I don’t know what it is or even how to find out. Maybe Erisha can manage it, but she hasn’t had much success so far. She says her father seems different. Even old Culph thinks something’s changed in him.”

Simralin was sitting again, her knees drawn up to her chest, her face somber. They were both draped in shadows, the night descending rapidly now, what remained of the daylight a pale wash against the horizon west above the wall of the forest.

“Let’s have some more of that ale,” she suggested.

She went inside and returned with fresh glasses. They sat together in the growing darkness and sipped the smooth, dark amber liquid, not saying anything right away.

“I remember Erisha when she was little,” Simralin said finally. She pursed her lips at Kirisin. “She used to follow you around like a newborn puppy.

She thought you were so clever.” She smiled. “I always thought something might come of that. Especially after both of you became Chosen.”