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Authors: Maxwell Alexander Drake
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races.”
This sent a shiver down Elith’s spine. “Why has she needed to be hidden?”
Her question made the Highest grin. “Have you ever seen anyone with your skin color, child? Gray, like the ash from a fire?” He did not wait for her to answer. “The Father says you are unique. One of a kind like that Shadow Cloak.” His eyes roved up and down her thin frame. “He has not seen fit to inform me of your origins, yet I have often inquired.”
“Her origins? She was brought here as a babe.”
The priest’s grin grew while he stared at her. “Of course.” Retrieving his goblet from his little girl-table , he took a long drink before setting it back down. “I was referring to where you came from before you arrived here in Komar.” Standing, he held out a hand indicating for Elith to rise. “Come, you have a long journey ahead of you, child.”
Her heart skipped. She had so many questions she hoped to get answers to from the Highest. Now it seemed as if he had dismissed her. “Where is she going? How will she find this Mah’Sukai?” Standing, she slipped her staff into its holding pouch at the small of her back and tucked the Shadow Cloak under her arm.
“My dear child. Where has this uncertainty come from?” He stopped and regarded her with a concerned look. “You have all the training you need.” Reaching out, he extended a finger, almost touching the side of her head. “The Father gave you a Questing. He knows the Mah’Sukai is southeast, mayhaps in Mocley. Or as far away as Velvithia or Orlis, yet no further, he is sure. Everything you need—coin, provisions, documentation to give to the priests in those cities—everything has already been gathered for you. A ship and crew wait in the harbor, as they have for over fifty winters now. The captain will sail you to Mocley, then wait to see if you have further need of him. You know all this. You have always had this at your disposal.”
She did know all this.
How could she forget? She has all that and more. Guards and servants to attend her. A villa in each city. Horses and supplies and food and support.
Reaching up, Elith rubbed her temples. Memories of her training, of sitting and memorizing the names and maps of places she had never been, yet knew as well as if she had been raised there came flooding back. Lists of names of those stationed around the Plane. Their descriptions. Cultures and mannerisms. Political structures. She had learned them all—studied them for more aurns than she cared to recall. How could any of that have slipped her mind? She felt dizzy and confused—lost. Looking around, she did not recognize the man who stood in front of her. He seemed familiar, though she could not say why. He was fat, with a concerned look on his face. Concern for what? Her?
“Elith?”
The man called out a word she did not know the meaning of.
“Elith!”
Wait. She did know that word. It was how she was called. The man in front of her—he seemed familiar. He was saying her name.
Yes. He is the Highest.
“Elith, child. You have gone almost bone-white.” The man sounded genuinely upset. “Are you well?”
Then it was over. Like a dam breaking, all her memories flooded into her. The fear, the unknowing, the feeling of helplessness, all vanished. As if they had never been. “Of course, Highest.” She gave him the smile she found that most Humans took for reassurance. “She is fine. She is…excited to seek the Mah’Sukai.” She even knew the names of the priests who would accompany her when she left the island. “Is there something else you wish to tell her?”
The priest blinked at her a few times before answering. “Nix, you have all you need. Are you sure you are well?” When she did not answer, the Highest frowned. “Very well, child. If you are sure.” She read uncertainty in his voice. “May the enlightenment of the enlightened Twelve guide your steps.”
Elith bowed her head when he said the words of parting. “And
This sent a shiver down Elith’s spine. “Why has she needed to be hidden?”
Her question made the Highest grin. “Have you ever seen anyone with your skin color, child? Gray, like the ash from a fire?” He did not wait for her to answer. “The Father says you are unique. One of a kind like that Shadow Cloak.” His eyes roved up and down her thin frame. “He has not seen fit to inform me of your origins, yet I have often inquired.”
“Her origins? She was brought here as a babe.”
The priest’s grin grew while he stared at her. “Of course.” Retrieving his goblet from his little girl-table , he took a long drink before setting it back down. “I was referring to where you came from before you arrived here in Komar.” Standing, he held out a hand indicating for Elith to rise. “Come, you have a long journey ahead of you, child.”
Her heart skipped. She had so many questions she hoped to get answers to from the Highest. Now it seemed as if he had dismissed her. “Where is she going? How will she find this Mah’Sukai?” Standing, she slipped her staff into its holding pouch at the small of her back and tucked the Shadow Cloak under her arm.
“My dear child. Where has this uncertainty come from?” He stopped and regarded her with a concerned look. “You have all the training you need.” Reaching out, he extended a finger, almost touching the side of her head. “The Father gave you a Questing. He knows the Mah’Sukai is southeast, mayhaps in Mocley. Or as far away as Velvithia or Orlis, yet no further, he is sure. Everything you need—coin, provisions, documentation to give to the priests in those cities—everything has already been gathered for you. A ship and crew wait in the harbor, as they have for over fifty winters now. The captain will sail you to Mocley, then wait to see if you have further need of him. You know all this. You have always had this at your disposal.”
She did know all this.
How could she forget? She has all that and more. Guards and servants to attend her. A villa in each city. Horses and supplies and food and support.
Reaching up, Elith rubbed her temples. Memories of her training, of sitting and memorizing the names and maps of places she had never been, yet knew as well as if she had been raised there came flooding back. Lists of names of those stationed around the Plane. Their descriptions. Cultures and mannerisms. Political structures. She had learned them all—studied them for more aurns than she cared to recall. How could any of that have slipped her mind? She felt dizzy and confused—lost. Looking around, she did not recognize the man who stood in front of her. He seemed familiar, though she could not say why. He was fat, with a concerned look on his face. Concern for what? Her?
“Elith?”
The man called out a word she did not know the meaning of.
“Elith!”
Wait. She did know that word. It was how she was called. The man in front of her—he seemed familiar. He was saying her name.
Yes. He is the Highest.
“Elith, child. You have gone almost bone-white.” The man sounded genuinely upset. “Are you well?”
Then it was over. Like a dam breaking, all her memories flooded into her. The fear, the unknowing, the feeling of helplessness, all vanished. As if they had never been. “Of course, Highest.” She gave him the smile she found that most Humans took for reassurance. “She is fine. She is…excited to seek the Mah’Sukai.” She even knew the names of the priests who would accompany her when she left the island. “Is there something else you wish to tell her?”
The priest blinked at her a few times before answering. “Nix, you have all you need. Are you sure you are well?” When she did not answer, the Highest frowned. “Very well, child. If you are sure.” She read uncertainty in his voice. “May the enlightenment of the enlightened Twelve guide your steps.”
Elith bowed her head when he said the words of parting. “And
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