The Raie'Chaelia Read online

  Chapter 12 - The Life of the Terravail

  “Sieren!” Ben exclaimed and stood up to meet her. They embraced in a tight hug. “It is such a relief to see you! Is Jor with you?”

  Benjamin Darren? Chalice was confused. She looked at Jeremiah who shrugged.

  Sieren glanced back toward the door. “Of course. He will be along soon. We have instructed the chef that we will be dining in your quarters, if that is alright with you.”

  “You honor me, Sieren.”

  “No, you and your guests honor us, Benjamin.” She moved toward the bed and took a seat next to Chalice. “How are you, my darling? I am Sieren Farah. Sasha will be here soon with your hot water.”

  As soon as she had said it, a young woman in an apron appeared in the doorway with the items Ben had requested. She moved in and set them on the table next to Bunejab’s medicine bag. Bunejab rushed up, dipped the cloth into the basin of water and placed it on Chalice’s forehead. In a matter of minutes, he had concocted a goblet of warm, medicinal liquid that she was sipping gently with Jeremiah’s help. At once, her consciousness cleared and the leaden chains that had been gripping her body seemed to fall away. Her breath came more freely and she found that she could move her head.

  During this time, the others conversed with Sieren. They introduced themselves and related the story of what had taken place outside the courtyard. Chalice was curious about this elegant woman. She wanted to know about these people and their friendship with Ben. She had a feeling it would tell her more about him.

  “You say it was a falcon?” Sieren asked. “But there are no falcons indigenous to these parts. The only falcons I know of are—”

  “Maaldanese,” Ben interrupted. “Exactly.”

  “Ah, yes, of course,” Sieren said, nodding. “The Naie’Ielian.”

  As she said this, there was a collective gasp from Jeremiah, Kirna, and Tycho. Sieren grinned wolfishly and Chalice could tell by the tone in her voice that she had no love for the man.

  “Here, we are not afraid to call him by what he rightfully is, a false king, among other names that I will not repeat out loud. We are protected behind these walls. We are also protected by our status. As long as we keep providing him with the goods that he needs, he is kept at bay. Granted, we do get palace visitors from time to time, but they do not stay long, only long enough to complete their business and leave. We do not need to worry about them. There are many secret rooms and corridors in my family’s castle to protect the people that we help.”

  “The people you help? Like who?” Kirna asked.

  “Those who are in need, like those who have lost their homes, their jobs, or their families because of his cruelty. What they have lost, we replace. Unbeknownst to him, we especially help those who take part in the Resistance. That is our first priority. That is why we are honored to have Benjamin with us again. His role is central to the Resistance and its mission. We are happy to help him, and what’s more, we are able to provide these services right under the Naie’Ielian’s nose, without him even knowing.”

  She smiled mischievously at Chalice who smiled back. She liked this woman. She was elegant, but tough.

  “What is the mission of the Resistance?” Tycho asked.

  “Why, to restore the old kingdom, of course. I have not given up hope that our glorious King Duquaine is still alive. We will find him.” She turned to Ben. “But enough of this. What of you? Why have you come, Benjamin? What can we do for you?”

  Before Ben could answer, a tall, handsome, fair-haired man in his middle years opened the door and the smell of roast duck and honeyed ham wafted in from the dining room.

  “Darling, dinner is served.”

  When the man saw Ben, his expression immediately became one of joy and surprise.

  “Benjamin!” he exclaimed as he strolled over to embrace his guest. “You’re alive! We were worried that—”

  “Do not worry, Jor,” Ben interrupted. “They will never get me.”

  “How long has it been?”

  “A long time! And I have much to tell you.”

  “I am looking forward to hearing it! Come. We will catch up over supper.” Jor’s deep voice filled the room as he spoke. He was a man who definitely had an air of authority and charisma, Chalice thought.

  “Yes, we need to let this young lady rest and recover,” Sieren added softly and moved to meet her husband. All but Chalice and Jeremiah rose from their seats and followed the Farahs.

  “Would you like me to stay here with you?” Jeremiah whispered to Chalice as he held her hand.

  “No, I’m fine. Go and eat. You need it.”

  “You want me to bring you something on a tray?”

  “I’m not hungry,” she said as her stomach growled loudly. It obviously wasn’t true. She was starving, but she didn’t like the idea of being spoon-fed like a baby. “I just need to rest. I feel better though. At least I can move now, somewhat. Whatever Bunejab gave me did the trick.”

  She wasn’t lying about feeling better, but she was still very weak. Whatever had struck her from touching the falcon would take a while to heal, she knew.

  “Alright,” he said and stroked the damp cloth across her forehead. Placing it aside, he blew out the lamp and left the room, making sure to leave the door slightly ajar.

  “Thank you, Jeremiah,” she whispered and closed her eyes to listen. The scraping of chairs and the tinkle of silverware on plates echoed from the other room. The aroma that met her nose made her mouth water, but she ignored it and concentrated on the conversation.

  “Ah, Aruvian duck in Maliyan spices. What a feast!” she heard Ben say.

  “This is the first time I’ve had the chef make this since she …” Sieren’s voice cut off, then said: “… was here. I’m sorry Benjamin, I forgot that it was her favorite, not yours.”

  “Don’t be sorry. It is my favorite, too.”

  Who are they talking about? Chalice wondered. She had the distinct impression that the apology had to do with more than just a favorite dish.

  “So, Benjamin, why have you come to visit after all these years?” the deep voice of Jor asked. “What do you have to tell us? It must be important.”

  “It’s a long story, but I suppose that it began with the book of prophecy.”

  “The book of prophecy? I thought that was a myth,” Charleton said.

  “I don’t think so, Charl,” Naeren responded. “Let’s listen to what Lord Graeystone has to tell us. I’m sure he has a very good reason for his visit.”

  “I am sorry. Please continue.”

  “Don’t be sorry, Charleton. You are correct. To popular culture, the book is a myth. This is exactly what the Council has wanted the people to believe in order to protect the book itself.”

  “The Council?” Jeremiah asked. “What Council?”

  “The Protegerial Council of Portalis, the body of representatives both Terravailian and Naeon, that maintains and protects the underground world. You will learn more about it when we get there. Your parents will teach you.”

  So that was the secret society that Jeremiah’s parents belonged to, Chalice thought. Then, she heard Ben speak again.

  “Anyhow, getting back to the book …”

  Chalice listened carefully as Ben unraveled the same tale he had shared with them the night before. Slowly, his voice began to echo in the distance down a long white hallway in which she strolled to a winding staircase. Lifting her foot, she placed it on the first step and ascended. At the top, she led herself out into the courtyard through the short hallway and found the salty morning breeze touch her face and hair lightly. Sea graels cried above as the sun peeked over the horizon, coloring the sky in a dark peach. She drew in a deep breath and gazed out at the golden water through the embrasure.

  She had been here so many times before and it was always the same. Walking through the white corridor, ascending the steps to the c
ourtyard, and seeing the morning sun. She knew that her quarry lay behind her, but she could never turn to see it no matter how hard she tried. It always lay just beyond her grasp. Suddenly, voices echoed down the hallway from where she had come. She strained to listen. A woman’s loud gasp caught her attention.

  “I remember this. You were talking about it with Nathaniel before you left last time. So, she is the one? I should have known. She looks just like him. I was right, Benjamin. You truly do honor us. Whatever you need, you will have it.”

  “Thank you, but all we will need for now is a safe place to stay for a few days.”

  “Of course.”

  “You know what this means?” a deep voice echoed through the hall. “We are getting close.”

  “Yes, Jor, we are, but she still has to accept it. After speaking with her last night, she has shown no sign of wanting to take her rightful place in the world.”

  “She will,” a familiar voice responded.

  Jeremiah! Chalice knew that voice. Is he downstairs in the corridor? She raced down the hallway and began to descend the staircase. The voices were getting louder the closer she came.

  “What I’d like to know is how the secret got out,” the deep voice said. “How did Dar’Maalda know? And how did he know that she was in Canton?”

  “I don’t know. It is troubling because it could mean that there is a traitor among the members of the Resistance, however impossible that may seem. The oaths have protected its secrets this long, but someone may have managed to find a way around them. It has already happened once.”

  “Or maybe one of his spies infiltrated the circle. That is also possible and more likely, I think. The missing Onyx was an entirely different problem, wasn’t it?”

  “Hmm … yes, it was. It still is.”

  Just as she reached the lower level, the voices stopped and there was no one in the hallway. The silence stretched on as she searched for them. She peered into the quarters both to her right and left and saw no one. Then, she suddenly felt a tug on her shoulder.

  “Chalice.” She opened her eyes to see Jeremiah sitting on the bed next to her. Supper was over and he had brought her a glass of milk and buttered bread.

  “Here. This may help you sleep,” he said, proffering the food.

  Finding that she could move again, she pulled herself into a sitting position and took the glass from him. She felt much stronger. The milk was cool and the bread was warm. As she drank and ate, her hunger abated. A small fire was growing in the fireplace across the room as the others had come in from the dining room with a nightcap to join them. Chalice tried to get out of bed, but Bunejab rose from his chair and pushed her back, chittering something in rapid Chinukan.

  “He says you need to stay in bed. I think he is right,” Jeremiah told her as he took a seat in the chair next to the bed to write in his notebook. She frowned. She hated being sick.

  “Yeah, you need to get used to this, Chalice. Lounging in a castle, eating, drinking and having people serve you all day. Man, that’s the life. I want to be a Terravailian princess!” Tycho snorted with laughter. He and Kirna had taken a seat at the end of the bed. Jeremiah glanced up from his writing and pointed at Tycho with the quill in his hand, a wry smile on his face.

  “Somehow, Tyke, I don’t think that’s what it entails, actually.”

  Ben, who was sitting in conversation with the Farahs near the fire, smiled over his pipe.

  “Jeremiah is right. Terravailian life is very different, especially for an Ielierian.”

  Chalice studied him for a moment. She wondered what he meant by that.

  “What does it mean, Ben?” she asked. He looked a question at her and she continued: “You said to me last night, ‘you do not yet know what it means to be Terravailian.’ What did you mean?”

  At this, he sat up straight. “You want to know?”

  She paused, then said: “Yeah. I do.”

  He moved to take a seat on the large bed. The others were silent and listening intently. They were all watching him.

  “Very well, then. Where to start? At the beginning, I suppose. That is usually the best place.” He paused for a moment to tap his pipe, then continued: “Did Sebastian teach you the general history of Naeo’Gaea and of our ancestors before they lived underground?”

  “About the Ancient World? Yeah, of course.”

  “And you know why they built the underground cities?”

  “Yeah. Because of the Ice Age.”

  “Alright, I will begin there. The original cities that were constructed were not like the mountain dwellings that you saw in the Chinukan villages. You see, life underground for the ancients was very different than for the races that evolved after them. They relied solely on their special crafts to survive underground and their life was hard. Thousands of years passed this way when suddenly there was a period of time that was marked by a great change. It all started with the wellsprings, after the landquake had destroyed many of the subterranean tunnels and cities. The wellsprings were originally the water source for each city, usually marked by an ornate fountain that was built above it to provide water for the people. For example, in Portalis, the wellspring is marked by the Castalian fountain. You will eventually see it when we get there.” She nodded and he continued.

  “Anyhow, after the quake, the water … changed. That is the only way I can think to describe it so that you will understand. As the water changed, the land and those who drank from the wellsprings changed. The world transformed and the people of the underground cities slowly began to develop abilities in different ways from one another. This transformation eventually led to the three different races that we know today.”

  “I see. So, why did the water change?”

  “We believe it had something to do with the velarium.”

  “Velarium? Is that the material that was introduced to Naeo’Gaea during the Ice Age?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is it in those odd silver strands we saw in the walls of—”

  “The Chinukan villages?” Ben interrupted. “Yes.”

  “What is it? How does it work?”

  “It is an element with a very unique internal structure that is not of this world. As for how it works, we have no idea, just as we really have no idea how life works. You see, velarium is a crystalline element that is not just part of the land like iron or bronze. It is also a living element. It grows and changes and responds to human thought and consciousness.”

  A material that was alive? Chalice was finding this a little hard to believe, but then it suddenly made sense and her face lit up in understanding.

  “Of course! That is how the vellen work!”

  “That’s right. Very good,” Ben said. “With a touch of your palm, you can will the vellen to do what you want. The velarium in the wall can sense your thoughts and will respond in kind.”

  Chalice had a sudden flashback of what Jezebelle had told her. You have to have the right touch, for it is your touch that relates to the spices and if your touch is just right, the spices will know and respond. She concluded that if this element was in the water and the land, then it must also be in other things as well, like plants and spices. Then, she thought about how she had failed to open the door when they visited Bunejab’s village.

  “Well, the vellen didn’t work for me. I must not have the right touch.”

  Ben smiled. “It takes a few tries. In the future, your daieoden will help with that.”

  “My daieoden? I don’t have one.”

  “Ah, but you do and you have yet to find it. You see, when a Terravailian child, such as yourself, is born, her daieoden begins to grow near a wellspring. It grows and develops through time just as that child grows and develops and when she turns eighteen, her stone is ready to be used in her training.”

  “How do I find it?”

  “You will be pulled to it just as you are pulled to water
when you are thirsty or to food when you are hungry. You can feel when you are near it. You will know. It is a tingling sensation that flows through your whole body. Usually when the Terravail come of age, they travel on a mission to find their stone. Most find it this way. Some find it before that, during periods of travel with their parents.”

  Chalice remembered the voyage with Papa to the Capital when she saw the Palace of Ielieria for the first time. She remembered the colossal monument of white marble and gold that sparkled brightly in the sunlight with its banners flowing in the breeze. She also remembered that she didn’t need to go with him at the time as it had been a business trip. She had asked him if she could stay home with her friends, but he had insisted that she accompany him. She had always thought that that had been strange.

  “You said the daieoden are the crystals through which the Terravail access their power, correct?” she asked and he nodded. “So, these stones, they are made of velarium, then?”

  “Yes, and so are the daietycha, in part.”

  “How do they do it? How do the Terravail use their power through their stones?”

  “There is a great power in our multiverse that binds everything together and makes everything work. It flows through all things — all elements, all living creatures, all heavenly bodies in space, and all worlds. Throughout the ages it has had many names, but we call it the avie. It flows from a source that has also had many names. The daieoden, being made of velarium, are a Terravailian’s gateway to this power. A Terravailian and her stone are one. She feels everything around her through it. She develops her ability through it. When she dies, her stone dies with her. It is alive with her and it dies with her. It is part of her being and of her soul.”

  “And when you say ‘her ability,’ you mean …”

  “Each Terravailian has either one very strong ability, or talent, in a particular area, or many moderately strong talents in many different areas. It depends upon the person and her uniqueness. For example, some of the Terravail are very gifted at reading and controlling the weather, while there are others who are gifted at healing. Some have a very small talent in all of them. You understand?” he asked and she nodded. “Occasionally, there will be someone with a very unique gift – an ability to do something that no one else can do.”

  “And you are wondering what my ability will be as a half Terravailian. You think it may be unique?”

  “Exactly. With you, we will be testing a new area of Terravailian power as there has never been anyone like you.”

  “Right. You said that last night. I remember, but I’m still wondering, what does it mean to be Terravailian? Does it just mean that I will have a stone and will be able to access power through it? Because if that’s it, I already knew that.”

  “No, it’s not just that. There is more. Because of our stones, we also have a special connection to the land that other creatures in Naeo’Gaea do not have. The velarium that is part of the land around us — that you saw in the Chinukan village, for example — is one with the velarium of our daieoden. Even though physically separated, the element itself is one in being and because of this we are ‘At One’ with the land and everything that is joined to it.”

  “The At One? You mean the Na’Veda?”

  “Yes, that is old Cantonese for the At One or the One Knowledge. Did you learn that in your studies?”

  “Yes, our Shaunta taught us that, but he said that all creatures can experience this.”

  “He is right. They can, but the Terravail experience it without effort and many times more acutely than any other creature in our world. To be truly At One, to fully experience the Na’Veda, as I’m sure your Shaunta told you, the other races have to concentrate, or meditate, on it. They also have to be ready, that is, mentally ready. The Na’Veda comes to them. They do not find it on their own. Both the Naeon and the Quaie’Miren feel this connection to the land, but compared to the Terravail, their connection is very weak. It was the same way with the ancients. So, you asked, what does it mean to be Terravailian? It means that you could sooner chop off your own leg with an axe than cut down a tree or dig a mine. You could sooner place your hand into a smith’s furnace than smelt iron or steel. You cannot alter or change or harm the land in any way. Whatever the land feels, you feel as well and just as profoundly and you feel it in both your body and your soul. This is how we are different when compared to the other races and what they experience. It is like comparing a sword cutting you in half to a small splinter in your finger. This is what it means to be Terravailian.”

  “What about farming?” Jeremiah asked, glancing up from his notebook. “Can the Terravail farm?”

  “Yes. Farming is not harming the land. Digging on the surface to plant crops that grow and are harvested is a natural process. I’m talking about actions that are unnatural, that harm or destroy the land or anything directly connected to it, like cutting down forest trees or mining for gold and silver and other metals.”

  “But if the Terravail can’t cut wood, dig mines or culverts, or make metalwork among other things, then how do they build homes or channel water or make tools that are needed every day?”

  “That is a very good question. This is exactly why the Terravail need the Naeon and why the races have been kept pure. The Naeon provide us with the essentials that we need, although we do have some abilities to create these things on our own.”

  Chalice was beginning to understand the relationship between the two races and why it was necessary. She was also beginning to see how this could foster prejudice and resentment.

  “So, if we need them so badly, what do we do for them in return?” she asked.

  Ben glanced down at his pipe and sighed. “Well, now, nothing. Under Dar’Maalda, the Naeon supply us with what we need and in return, they are not destroyed. He seems to be under the impression that they owe it to us.” Ben scowled. “Under the rule of the Ielierian, the Naeon relied on the Terravail for protection, medicine, education and aid in other things.” He shook his head in frustration. “And I am ashamed to say that, as of now, we have failed them. I fear their anger toward us is merited.”

  Chalice thought this was a bit unwarranted. “Well, from growing up in Canton, I know that they don’t really need help. The Naeon are quite able to function on their own.”

  “Yes, that is true, to a certain degree, but they are not flourishing the way they used to. What you have seen in Woodrock should be living proof of that.”

  She nodded, remembering her experience in the village. She had to admit that he was right. She listened carefully as he continued.

  “Before Dar’Maalda stole power, the young Terravail who came of age would enter training and there, they discovered their abilities. If their talents lay in a certain area, they could become Agavae, if they were male, or Sorosi, if they were female.”

  Chalice recognized the words in Angaulic, suddenly realizing that they had the exact same meaning as the words she had learned in Chinukan.

  “Caretakers?” she asked. “The Chinuka have something very similar in their language. I just learned it — Aukâwá and Státtèkráj. Jeremiah taught it to me.”

  “That’s right,” Ben said. “We inherited the language of stewardship from them. In fact, I learned this from your parents, Jeremiah. It was the Chinuka who taught us about our duty as stewards during the First Time, when they showed us how to live on the land again. They taught us that all living things are interconnected and interdependent and that the land itself is also a living thing. The Naeon and the Terravail used to work together to maintain an equilibrium. If it was disrupted, say if too many trees were being cut down or if too many animals were hunted and killed, the caretakers would feel it and put an end to it in order to restore balance.”

  “What exactly did these caretakers do for the Naeon?”

  “When the Terravail had completed their training, those who chose to be Agavae and Sor
osi went into the service of the King and traveled the Realm in pairs, one male, one female, tending to the needs of the Naeonic villagers. This was their calling. Some aided in childbirth and healed sickness, disease, and injuries while others were able to control the weather, say, for example, if crops needed to be watered and there was no rain or water source nearby. There were many necessary functions, or more appropriately, services that they provided them. The most important, I think, were the educators, or the Terravailian scholars that we call the Readers who visited Naeonic schools and colleges. I say they are the most important because they have special abilities in discovering hidden truths. In the same manner that we ‘read’ from books to learn, the Terravailian Readers ‘read’ from the avie to discover information about the world. Much of what we know today about our world and about the ancient world comes from the Towers of the Readers, which were scattered among the Terravailian universities. All education of the Realm was provided through these universities, many of which have been shut down, you remember, as we discussed earlier.”

  Chalice frowned. “So these traveling stewards, they must have been able to tell if they were close to a lumberyard, a mine, or a forge, right?”

  “Correct and this is why life as an Agavae or a Sorosi was not easy. It is also why they traveled and did not stay in the east permanently. They could feel the damage being done.”

  “By feeling it through the land?”

  “Yes, through their daieoden.”

  “What if a Terravailian hasn’t found her stone yet, can she still feel it?”

  “Yes, even if the stone is far away, the Terravailian still has her natural connection to the land. Why do you ask, Chalice?”

  She was beginning to piece together all the events of the past few months and the way she felt since leaving Canton.

  “It just makes sense, that’s all. Growing up, I would have never felt it since Canton is largely a trading village with no lumberyards, mines, or forges. Those are all located far away. After leaving Canton, I felt strange at times while traveling along the road. I thought it just had to do with what was happening at the time, that it was maybe homesickness or something. Now, I realize that it wasn’t because it went away when we ascended the mountain to the Chinukan camp. In the guest’s quarters of Bunejab’s village, I felt something that was quite the opposite. It didn’t make sense to me at the time.”

  “Ah, yes. It is peaceful there.”

  “This feeling, it came from being inside the mountain?”

  “Yes, because the Chinuka have always lived in harmony with nature, not against it. It was this harmony that you felt.”

  That’s the strangest thing I’ve ever heard! Chalice thought. Yet, somehow, she knew it to be true. It was difficult enough for her to believe in a living element that could listen to people’s thoughts, but the land itself communicating with them was beyond what she could have imagined. It would take some time for these concepts to sink in. She knew she would have to experience the Na’Veda before fully understanding it. She could hear the voice of her Shaunta in the back of her mind. You cannot make it happen, Chalice. It will come to you when you are ready. Now, she understood why he focused so much of this training on her and not her classmates. Because he knew. She had always thought he was such a strange old man. Now, she knew why.

  Chalice glanced down at Jeremiah, who was writing furiously in his notebook. She had to smile. She knew he was recording the whole conversation. Then, she looked at Ben. She was still wondering about who he really was and how he knew so much about her family.

  “Ben, I have another question.”

  “Yes?”

  “What is your real name? Is it Darren or Graeystone?”

  “I thought you might ask that. My paternal surname is Darren. Graeystone is my adopted surname as you can see by the color of my stone.”

  “And your paternal surname, Darren, does it have any relation to Sir Theodore Darren?”

  He paused, with a sad look on his face, and then finally nodded.

  “Yes, he was my son,” he said softly.

  She suddenly remembered what he had said the night before about Sir Darren’s last battle: I am puzzled, and for many reasons saddened, at the outcome of the battle. So this was the reason, she thought. Sir Darren had been his son.

  “And you have a wife, too?”

  “Yes, Loreaine of the Ielierian. She was the sister of your grandfather, Kieyavin, who lived seven generations ago. She died trying to free your sisters.”

  “Oh.” She looked down at her hands, thinking. It finally struck her how old he was and how he knew her family so well. She suddenly had a great deal of respect for him. This was a man who knew what it was to suffer the loss of loved ones. She lowered her head in shame for having asked.

  “I’m so sorry you lost your family.” Then, she looked at him curiously. “And after all this, you are still loyal to my father?”

  He smiled at her warmly and said: “Always.”

  “I’m sorry, Ben. I had no idea,” Jeremiah said, looking at Ben as though he had just met him.

  “Don’t worry about it. It was a long time ago.” Ben smiled and looked down at Jeremiah’s notebook. “Did you get all the information you need? I noticed you had checklist there.”

  “Well, most of it. I do have one question, though.”

  “What’s that?”

  “During dinner, Jor mentioned a missing Onyx. What is that?”

  “That’s right. He did. The Onyx stone is a daietych that went missing from our possession around the same time that Duquaine disappeared. One of the Council members and his whole family disappeared as well. I had always felt that there was a connection between these events, so I went in search of the stone with the help of your parents. This was during the three years that you were in Canton with the Pandrettis, you see. We didn’t find the stone, only a string of betrayals that led all the way back to Dar’Maalda. I am still convinced, however, that the stone had something to do with the King’s disappearance.”

  “Why? What does it do?”

  Ben shook his head. “No one knows. It is a daietych that was created around the same time that the Delphaline was written, which was a long, long time ago. I’m sure its original maker knew its purpose, but he, or she, never recorded it in writing anywhere. It is believed this Terravailian was someone with one of the unique talents I mentioned. Throughout time, many of the Readers have studied the Onyx, trying to trace its power to learn what it does, but so far, none have succeeded.”

  “You know, Ben, we may have it!” Chalice exclaimed and Ben stared at her in shock. “The Chinuka gave us a box with a stone and a dagger in it. I had no idea what it was, but I accepted it anyway. Queen Svati seemed eager for me to have it.”

  “Where is it?”

  “In my bags. Jeremiah, can you get it for him?”

  “Sure,” he said as he set down his notebook and quill and moved to retrieve the box from her bag. Chalice continued explaining to Ben what had happened to them during their time in the Chinukan camp. He listened to her keenly as Jeremiah brought him the box and opened it.

  Ben took the stone out and laid the box onto the bed. He studied it as they told their story.

  “And you didn’t think to ask what it was for?”

  “Well, no,” Chalice replied. “I just thought it was a gift or something. To be honest, I was more concerned about leaving without running into any more trouble.”

  “The importance of it didn’t occur to us at the time,” Jeremiah added. “I asked Bunejab about it later on, but he said he didn’t know.”

  Ben looked at the Chinuk, who shook his head. “Alright. I can tell just by looking at it that it is not the Onyx. The Onyx is a dark green stone made of various shades of velarium and emerald. This stone is made of something else. I will need to take it into the study to examine it. May I?”

  “Of course!” Chalic
e said. “You don’t need to ask. Here, take the box with you.” She suddenly felt exhausted and lay back, settling her head on the pillows and releasing a deep breath.

  Ben got up, taking the box and replacing the stone.

  Sieren rose from her chair. “It is late and we should let Chalice get some rest,” she announced to everyone in the room. “I will show you all to your chambers for tonight.” At that, they all rose from their seats and said their goodnights.

  “I’ll be along in a minute. I just need to finish this,” Jeremiah told Sieren, motioning to his notes. She nodded.

  Chalice’s eyelids began to close and she was asleep before she could even tell them goodnight. After finishing his notes, Jeremiah sat there, watching her draw in the long, deep breath of sleep, wondering what dreams she was having, and wishing he could be there with her. He reached up and brushed a lock of golden hair from her cheek with his finger. How different they were from each other. How different her world was from his own. All this time, he had never known. Now, he knew the separation between them was irreconcilable, and yet, he didn’t care.

  Why do I trust my foolish heart? Why do I listen to it? he asked himself. He knew the answer. It was because without her, he was lost. Without her, there was nothing. Finally, he grew weary, kissed her forehead silently, and retired to his chambers.