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

“Later than you think,” she answered, stony-faced. “But they have something to say that you need to hear. Come up and sit down.”


He did as she asked, settling himself in one of the old high-backed wicker chairs facing across the porch to where the Knight and the tatterdemalion sat. He remembered how the latter had looked at him with such intensity several hours earlier, the way she had seemed to recognize him even though they had never met. Now, as Angel repeated everything that had taken place in the Council chambers, he was reminded of it. Ailie had known that the Ellcrys had spoken with him, that he had been asked to provide her help. Otherwise, she could not have used his name before the King as she had.

While Angel spoke, mostly repeating what he already knew from eavesdropping behind the Council chamber walls, he studied her. He had heard of Knights of the Word from Simralin, knew what they did and how important it was.

He had formed images of them in his mind, their physical characteristics, the strength of presence they would exude. Yet Angel was not that much older than he was, baby-faced and not very big at all. She was more girl than woman, more child than grown. She held the black staff of her order, carved end-to-end with runes, in a loose, casual fashion, yet he could not mistake the possessiveness of her grip. He found her odd, a human who seemed less so than she ought to, a Knight of the Word who seemed too young to be anything of the sort.

When Angel was finished, she asked Kirisin if he would tell them in turn what he knew. He did so, even though he had doubts about revealing that he had been hiding on the other side of the walls with Erisha and old Culph when they were brought before the King and the High Council. It wasn’t that he didn’t want the Knight of the Word to know; he was concerned that revealing their presence to anyone might in some way put his two friends in danger.

It was an irrational fear, but he couldn’t pretend that it wasn’t there.

Nevertheless, he told the others everything, including what had transpired when the Ellcrys had spoken to him in the gardens. He told them how he had gone to the King in opposition to the advice of the other Chosen, how the King had lied to him, how he had subsequently confronted Erisha about what she was hiding, and how the two of them had made a pact to join forces. He told them how old Culph had discovered him with Erisha in the archives and decided to help, as well. He gave a brief description of how the three of them had searched the grave sites at Ashenell to find the marker for Pancea Rolt Cruer, where they believed from the entries in her scribe’s journal that the blue Elfstones might be hidden.

“We found nothing,” he concluded, “even after searching for the better part of an entire afternoon. But we intend to go back for another look the day after tomorrow. Maybe we will have better luck.”

“So you cannot leave Arborlon and the Cintra without the Ellcrys?” Angel asked.

“If we leave, we are abandoning her to her fate. She has no defenses against humans or demons and their weapons. She would be destroyed in the conflagration you have come to warn us about.”

“In which case, the demons trapped within the Forbidding, the ones from the old world of Faerie, would be set free?”

“If the Forbidding fails, that would happen.”

“They would join with those demons already at work destroying what remains of our world?”

He nodded. “We can’t leave her. We have to find the Elfstones that can save her.”

Angel shook her head. “I don’t understand why there is any debate about this. I don’t see why your King isn’t already out hunting for the Elfstones, doing everything he can to find them. It doesn’t matter whether he knows where they can be found; he should be doing something. What possible reason could he have for not wanting to act on what you have told him, let alone what we are asking?”

Kirisin looked down at his feet and scuffed at the porch floorboards. “Erisha and I have asked ourselves that question repeatedly. We still don’t have an answer. Not even Culph understands.”

“The King is not himself these days,” Simralin said quietly. “You said so yourself, Little K. Everyone sees that he has changed, and no one can explain the reason for it.”

“Well, we have to find a way to persuade him to do the right thing,” Kirisin insisted. “It doesn’t matter if he’s himself or not, he’s the King. Personal problems can’t be allowed to get in the way of a King’s duties. His foremost obligation is to protect his people and his city. He can’t do that if he lets anything happen to the Ellcrys.”

They were all silent for a moment, pondering the King’s behavior. Then Angel said, “There is another problem you need to know about.”

“Angel,” Ailie said in warning.

Angel nodded. “I know. We take a risk in telling anyone.