5. “Gran” #2
“That you know of. Haven’t you heard the phrase ‘those who cannot do, teach?’ I know there is a human version of it.
Well, it’s true in the case of magic as well.
Perhaps, especially in magic. Those of us who are truly powerful keep our secrets to ourselves and do not write about them or share them with anyone,” Rhalyf told him.
That was most definitely true in the Kindreth. The Aravae were more open, but not much. The truth was that the Glass Scholar Neldor Loravye might be the most powerful of those elves who were open in scholarship, but as to the really powerful Mages, he was not among their number.
“So you hide what you can do? You hoard your powers? You don’t share your knowledge?” Finley sounded and looked rather outraged. His hands were on his hips and he was glaring at Rhalyf.
Rhalyf blinked. “You sound as if it’s personal . But remember, Finley, that humans cannot do magic so it's not as if I’m denying my knowledge to you .”
“Because we die if we use magic, right?” Finley glared at him more.
“You don’t believe me about that, I see,” Rhalyf murmured.
And why don’t you? I’m guessing it’s because of Declan. But surely someone as smart as you, Finley, realizes that there is something very off about your best friend? Rhalyf thought but did not say. But, then again, there is no one more blind than the man who will not see.
Finley’s lips quivered as if he wanted to say something.
Maybe something about Declan. Rhalyf froze and his eyes darted between Finley and Gemma.
They were with Declan when the Leviathan had attacked.
They must have seen what he had done to protect them.
He wondered what that was. But it had convinced Finley that humans could perform magic.
Finley shook himself and said quietly, “We’ll see if you’re right and I’m wrong when I get into the Academy.”
“Indeed we will. In truth, if magic wouldn’t kill you, I would wish you to be right and me to be wrong. But it is what it is,” Rhalyf told him. “Now am I acceptable to go to Hope?”
He spread his now much thinner arms and shimmied in his dress.
“More than!” Gemma said and took his arm again. “Gran.”
“Gran, it is!” He kissed her cheek, which had her laughing.
Finley snorted and walked slightly ahead of them.
Gemma and Rhalyf chatted amiably as they made their way down the main avenue of Tyrael.
He learned all about the interesting characters in her school.
He was about to give her some wise advice as to what to do with her enemies when they approached the edge of the magical dome.
The dome protected the citizens of the Empire from the creatures that roamed beyond.
No Leviathan–or any dark creature–could pass into the royal city.
Due to the dome, there was no need for a wall or gate, but there were Protectors who patrolled the perimeter day and night.
More were present as the king was now in residence in the city.
In fact, there were quite a few of them present at that moment by the avenue.
Rhalyf almost raised a hand to Commander Sevren who was stationed at the end of the avenue, but stopped himself.
He realized that his transformation would hide his true self from the Commander just as much as it did from the humans they were going to visit.
They slowed as Commander Sevren lifted up a hand to urge them to stop.
Finley looked over at Rhalyf for an explanation.
But Rhalyf had none. He was curious himself what would happen now that Severn thought he was dealing with three humans and not with the Sun King’s best friend.
He’d always liked Sevren, but there was nothing more revealing than how an elf behaved when their leaders were not in sight.
“Is there a problem?” Finley asked. His voice was already slightly edged. He likely was not used to being stopped and there was no reason for him to be in this case as far as Rhalyf could see.
Commander Severn did not rise to the bait, but said simply, “Yes, where are you three going?”
“I don’t see why that should concern you,” Finley retorted, drawing himself up straight.
“It concerns me, because there were two murders last night,” Sevren said. “Do you want to risk that child and your elder outside the protective dome?”
“What?” Finley gasped.
“Someone was murdered?” Gemma curled one hand around the top of her dress.
“Who was murdered?” Rhalyf asked too sharply, then remembering his persona, added, “Please tell us, young man. We know most everyone in town.”
Sevren smiled at his use of “young man” as any elf of his stature was hundreds, if not thousands of years older than any human, even one as “old” as he appeared to be.
“It was two visiting Aravae. Not locals. A man and woman,” Sevren said quietly. “I’m afraid I can say no more, but I would urge you to remain inside the dome today.”
A man and a woman?
Rhalyf realized then that he couldn’t keep his true identity a secret at that moment. He needed to know who these Aravae were. He cleared his throat and said in his own voice, “Commander Sevren, I require a report.”
Sevren blinked. He blinked some more and stared hard at “Gran” before stuttering out, “L-Lord Neres?”
“The one and only. I’m in disguise for… well, no matter. Who was murdered exactly? Their names, if you know them, and their descriptions,” he requested, keeping his voice low. “Wait! Finley, take Gemma over there.”
“But I want to know who died! We know tons of Aravae,” she protested.
“I’m sure you do, but I need all the bloody details,” he answered her. “I’d rather the good Commander not hold back giving them to me because of your youth.”
“I might look young, but I’ve been through a lot,” she told him, drawing up a few inches.
Realizing that she had lived through the Leviathan attack, she likely wasn’t exaggerating.
“I don’t doubt that, but you realize that makes me only want to protect you more, don’t you?” he asked her.
She blinked. “But…”
“I’ll tell you what I can after I speak to the Commander here.
Please, Gemma?” He smiled, but since Gran was missing teeth and those she had were yellowed and ugly, he didn’t think that smile had quite the same effect as his real one.
But, to his surprise, she nodded and both Finley and her stepped away.
He turned back to the Commander, “Now, who has died?”
Sevren’s lips had been curling into a smile at his “Gran” persona but then when he had to speak of the dead, that smile died. “Two visiting Aravae. Leisha Amara and Seith Ticher.”
A wave of cold ran through Rhalyf. Those were the names of the Aravae who had attempted to rough up Declan the night before.
Had Declan snuck out and killed them later last night to keep his secret?
No. Declan had been convinced that Rhalyf had made their “proof” of Declan’s difference look ridiculous.
He had made it look ridiculous. There was no need to kill them.
Besides, he didn’t think Declan was the murdering type despite the fact that he must be a Kindreth and moved like an assassin.
But then he recalled that he and Declan weren’t the only two people who had seen and heard Seith and Leisha’s threats.
The figure in the woods had too. The figure with a crown of antlers.
Who had that been? They had clearly heard what happened between the two Aravae, Declan and himself.
Could they have killed Seith and Leisha? But why?
“How were they killed?” he asked, praying it was a Leviathan attack. “Outside the dome, I assume?” That would be the only reason Sevren would caution them from leaving the city.
Sevren nodded and pointed towards a section of forest about a hundred yards from the dome’s edge. He could see Aravae roaming between the trees.
“They were strung up there,” Sevren explained with a visible shudder. “Upside down. Attached to the trees.” His voice dropped as he added, “They were drained of blood. And if that wasn’t awful enough, both had their tongues cut out.”
Rhalyf went very, very still at this description.
It was familiar. Terribly familiar. How many times had his own parents done that to servants or lower level Kindreth who had insulted them, or worse, gossiped about their secrets?
The blood was taken, because blood was useful in all sorts of rites.
And the victims were often bled slowly just to make their deaths hurt more.
The tongues being taken out was the real clue though.
That was to warn others that speaking ill of the powerful would always lead to suffering and death.
A Kindreth did this…
But he couldn’t imagine the cool, collected Declan doing it. His secrets were known by Rhalyf. Rhalyf had far more opportunities to convince Aquilan of his “differences” than two random Aravae did. So there was no reason for Declan to do this.
So there is another Kindreth here than Declan and me…
Again, the antlered figure came to mind and his shoulders twitched at the thought of it. It was only Declan’s keen magical senses that had picked up that figure. He had not.
“Lord Neres, I know how grim this is. Especially with the king just having returned,” Sevren murmured, believing this was what was distressing him.
He shook himself. “Yes, yes, it is.”
“Do you wish to go see the crime scene?” he asked.
Rhalyf very much did . But not when the Protectors were there.
For there were spells he had to cast, which would let him know exactly what had happened and perhaps who had done the deed.
But such spells needed blood and there were no Aravae spells, which required that.
They also did better in darkness. So he would have to go later.
Much later. When no one was around. He shook his head.
“I promised these two that I would take them to Hope,” Rhalyf answered and pointed towards the two young humans. “I can’t disappoint them.”