Maggie Furey by Echo of Eternity

Author:Echo of Eternity [Eternity, Echo of]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
ISBN: 9780307418043
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2007-12-18T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

The Path of Reflection

Helverien never would have thought that she’d get so tired of talking, so soon. She hardly knew whether to laugh or cry at such perversity. Throughout all those lonely aeons, she had been filled with a desperate yearning for company—and now that she had it, all she wanted was a bit of peace and quiet and a chance to be alone with her thoughts for a while. Not that this Wind-Sprite was not good company, she told herself hastily. They had discussed the past, as she herself had seen it, and the present, as it was known to Shree, and each had found a great deal of interest in what the other had to say.

But the trouble is, we can’t discuss the future. Until we get out of here, there can be no future for us, and because of the nature of this place, there’s nothing for us to do but talk, and that’s hard for both of us. It’s in our natures to want to act, and to influence the course of events. This enforced inactivity and helplessness is galling in the extreme, and we’re going to have to be very careful not to start taking our frustrations out on each other.

After a time, however, it became clear that the Wind-Sprite’s feelings were similar to her own. The two of them fell silent, each lost in her own thoughts, contemplating the landscape that Helverien had re-created from her memory and imagination, with its groves of silvery green trees, its eternally bright sky, and its sea of shimmering peacock blue.

*Couldn’t we try to make it nighttime for a while?* Shree said eventually. *I’m sure, if we put out heads together, we could come up with stars, and maybe a moon. It’s a lovely place you’ve created here, but you have to admit, some sort of change might be in order.*

The Mage felt a flicker of annoyance. “Some people are never satisfied! Do you think you could do any better? I’d like to see you create a landscape of this complexity.”

*Maybe I should then,* Thirishri retorted. *Perhaps I should take another area in all this nothingness, and make some mountains or something—just for a change.*

“Go on, then, Wind-Sprite,” Helverien challenged. “Let’s see how good you really are.” Suddenly, she was thoroughly enjoying their discussion, with its slight edge of contentiousness. The idea of a competition between the two of them certainly added a touch of interest to life.

*All right then. I wi—* Abruptly Shree stopped in midsentence. *Was it my imagination, or did you feel something just then?*

Helverien nodded, excitement running through her like wildfire. “There was a change in the fabric of this place—almost as though a door had been opened somewhere.” She looked at the dancing sparkle and shimmer in the air that was the Wind-Sprite. “I felt something very similar when you came here.”

There was a moment of silence, with neither of them daring to put their hopes into words. Finally, Thirishri spoke. *Do you think someone is trying to release us?*

The Mage shook her head.

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