The Elven Apostate by Sara C Roethle

Author:Sara C Roethle [Roethle, Sara C]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Vulture's Eye Publications
Published: 2020-04-25T04:00:00+00:00

* * *

Malon hurried Saida back into her tent as the first rays of dawn stretched over the sand. She wanted nothing more than sleep now, despite her gnawing worry. However, Malon seemed newly energized, practically giddy with excitement.

He let the tent flap fall shut behind them, causing the flames in the oil lamps to flicker. He took both her arms in hers. “Saida, that was incredible. You’re incredible.”

She pulled away, shaking her head. “Malon, I don’t trust Urali. We must leave this place.”

His elation wilted, like a delicate flower left out in the Helshone. “What are you talking about? We’ve proven our power. Soon we’ll have the army I desire and we’ll go to Faerune, as promised.”

Her heart raced. She longed to retrieve the circlet, which had been placed back in Malon’s satchel. Had she imagined the voice in her head, warning her against Urali? “No, there’s something wrong. Urali will not let me leave this place alive.”

Malon watched her for a moment. Even with the lower half of his robe wet, he still seemed well put together, but his eyes were calculating—and his calculations were a force to be reckoned with.

He glanced at the closed tent flap, then stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Tell me why you believe this, and keep your voice down. Urali is not the only Makali who speaks the common tongue.”

She fidgeted at his closeness. “I—” she hesitated. He’d probably think her mad, and she didn’t really want to share the experience with him, but she knew no other way to make him believe her. “I hear voices when I use the circlet. Sometimes many, but one voice is clear above the rest, a woman whispering in my mind. She told me not to display my power for Urali when we met in her tent. Then just now, the voice told me Urali intends my death.” She shook her head, unsure of her own words. “Or she at least intends my downfall.”

He leaned closer, his loose silver hair draping around her on either side. “Are you sure of this? I have heard no voices.”

She thought about it. Was she sure? Could the voice really be . . . She licked her dry lips. In her heart, she believed the voice to be Cindra, though why a goddess would speak to her was anyone’s guess.

She nodded. “Yes, I’m sure. I believe without a doubt Urali intends me harm.”

“I wonder why?” he muttered, his gaze going distant. “Does she not truly desire lands further north?”

Saida suspected the question was not actually for her. He was calculating again, searching for Urali’s hidden motive. “You believe me?”

He met her eyes. “Saida, what you did out there is something most priestesses train their entire lives to master, and even then, they’d need a group to accomplish such things, and moonstones to focus the power.”

“I had the Crown of Cindra. I did nothing special.”

He patted her shoulder. “Get some rest. I will speak to some of the Makali in the morning, see if I can’t find the root of Urali’s intent.

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