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"No, Imri, I won't do it."
Corinna sat across the table from the warrior, her violet eye flashing angrily while the amber gem in place of the other flickered in the lantern light.
Hallian fluttered down from the rafters. The windling archer was not quite tall enough to be eye to eye with her, even standing on the table. "Come on, Cori, it's not like he's a Horror or anything."
Corinna gritted her teeth. "He might as well be."
They made an unusual trio. Corinna was an elven wizard; tall and slim with long, pale lavender hair. Imri was a human; a few inches shorter with a stockier build. She wore her brown hair bound tight and her weapons openly. Hallian was only knee high to both of them, with bright green wings and matching hair. He sat cross legged on the table with his bow across his knees. "I've never been to the Blood Wood. I think it would be fun to go. Don't you want to see the elven court?"
"No!" Corinna snapped, trying not to lose her temper. "The blood elves have corrupted the Court, the Blood Wood and everything else they've touched."
"Corinna," Imri said laying a hand the mage's shoulder. "At least they survived."
"But they're evil, as bad as the Horrors themselves. They should have died instead of twisting everything. All the beauty and merriment is gone."
Imri sighed. "All right. If you feel that strongly, I'll tell him we won't be able to accept the job."
The elf chewed on her lower lip as Hallian's wingtips drooped. They did need the money and most travellers preferred that their guards look big and menacing which two women and a windling did not. It might be a long time before they got another chance.
She unclenched her jaw. "All right. We'll take the job, but we go no further than the edge of the Blood Wood. Once he's there, he's on his own."
"Done," Imri said.
The blood elf's name was Saevyl. Corinna tried hard to look past the empty grey eyes and thick thorns that pierced his flesh. It made her want to cry out in the pain he didn't seem to notice. "I appreciate this service," he said. "When my companions were slain by the marauders, I was concerned about travelling home alone."
Hallian was watching him with wide eyes. "Don't those things hurt?"
Saevyl gave the windling a tolerant look. "Yes, but my kind embrace pain for the strength it gives us."
"Lets go," Imri said leading three horses over. "I'd like to get some distance before nightfall."
Corinna winced as Saevyl mounted and several of his thorn wounds began to bleed. She looked away, wondering if she should have held her ground and refused the job. The Blood Wood was a nearly a week's travel away and the sight of Saevyl was already making her sick.
Hallian flew ahead to scout as soon as they left the town. They wanted to avoid meeting any of the roving marauders that had killed the rest of Saevyl's party and, as long as the windling had places to rest along the way, he could scout all day.
"What brings you out of the Blood Wood?" Imri asked.
The elf 's eyes kept straight ahead. "I am an emissary from the Queen to the King of Throal."
"The King didn't provide you with an escort home?" Imri asked.
"At the time, we did not feel one was necessary."
The warrior shrugged. "Guess you were wrong."
"I have no doubt my late companions would argue with you even now," Saevyl said.
"They dead don't win many arguments, except maybe with nethermancers," she replied. "Are all your people so stubborn?"
"That very stubbornness is what allowed us to survive," he told her. "Perhaps, if more of our kindred had chosen to stay in the Wood instead of fleeing underground like animals, we'd have fared better."
"You can't blame us for what happened," Corinna said.
The blood elf glanced over at her. "I place no blame, I merely speculate."
He was so calm, so cold and Corinna felt her temper burning. "You have no idea why those who fled to the Kaers chose to do so!"
"And you have no idea why those who did not, stayed."
"Okay, you two," Imri said nudging her horse between theirs. "We're all going to be together for awhile, lets talk about something else."
Corinna rode in silence until they camped.
It came as no surprise when Imri set the watches, that Corinna and Saevyl did not share one. Corinna shared the first half of her watch with Imri, and the second, with Hallian. She was sure that Saevyl was as pleased with the arrangements as she was.
She fed the fire as the others settled down to sleep.
"Can we come to some kind of compromise?" Imri asked. "This trip will drag on forever if you're either silent or arguing."
Corinna sighed. "I don't know how to explain it to you so that you can understand. You have no idea what this is all about."
Imri put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Cori, after all we've been through, can't you try? I don't think I've ever seen you so irritable.
"Remember the morning Hal stashed your clothes up in a tree? You laughed, took a half-hearted swing at him and that was it. Saevyl opens his mouth and you fly at him like an angry housewife."
"What Hal did was a joke. What Saevyl is, what his people have done is no joke. It's not in the least bit funny."
She sighed. "The blood elves' Court is so different from all the stories. Even after the Scourge, the elves in my village told of the grand and beautiful inhabitants of the Wyrm Wood. I dreamed of the Queen and her Court and of going some day to see what I'd only heard in stories."
She stared into the fire. "When I heard what they'd done... to themselves and the forest, it was like part of me turned black, shriveled up and died."
"So you're angry at them because they don't live up to your expectations?" Imri asked.
"Yes... no... you just don't understand," Corinna replied. "Look, I'll behave myself. I just really don't want to talk about it."
Imri looked as though she might say something else, but never did. "All right, my friend. Whatever you say."
The next morning dawned grey and miserable and the threat of rain hung in the air as they rode. Corinna thought it a perfect compliment to her mood. Hallian tried several times to cheer her, but even he had to give up.
She kept a few lengths ahead so as not to hear the conversation going on behind her. If she couldn't hear it, it couldn't offend her.
Imri cornered her when they stopped for lunch. "I thought you said you weren't going to do this."
"I said I'd behave. This is the only way I feel I can keep my promise."
Imri sighed and let it drop as Hallian fluttered between them and landed on Imri's shoulder. "I'm thinking we should take a different route."
"Why?" Imri asked.
"Well, I scouted up the path further and there's a bunch of scorchers that seem to be following it. I know there's a less used path through the woods. It might add some time, but we wouldn't have to worry about the orks."
"They aren't necessarily raiders," Corinna said. "They might not bother us at all and I really don't need the delay."
"She's right," Imri said. "But if they are, trying to flee or fight a band of them would take a lot more time than Hallian's suggestion. I'll talk to Saevyl about it, but I'm for the path through the woods."
"He told me he's a wizard, like you," Hallian said as Imri went over to Saevyl.
"He may be a wizard," Corinna said. "But he's nothing like me."
The windling shook his head. "I don't understand you some times. How can what he looks like make that much difference?"
"It's not just the way he looks. It's what the way he looks represents."
"I guess..."
He flew over to where Imri and Saevyl were talking. Corinna wondered if she really was being as unreasonable as her friends claimed. Still, how could they understand the corruption of the elves from the Blood Wood when there was nothing in either of their races for them to relate it to.
The decision was made to take the route through the woods, Hallian flying ahead to keep them on the path which seemed little more than a game trail. They had to ride single-file, Imri in front and Corinna in the rear.
She tried to watch Saevyl from the back where his thorns were hidden by his clothing. He almost seemed normal. Then, she'd catch a glimpse of a hand or the side of his face and see the corruption. How could he not feel it? How could he not realize what his people had done to themselves?
There was a rustling in the bushes up ahead, followed by giggling. Two forms shot from the underbrush and into a tree. Imri pulled her horse to a stop. "What was that?"
A few minutes later, Hallian flitted down from the tree, his hair and clothing disheveled. A female windling followed him, her face flushed under white hair. "Uh, hi," he said.
Corinna watched as Imri tried to keep the smirk off her face with little success. "Is this how you scout ahead for us?"
Hallian shrugged. "Well, actually, Lilly and I were having a pretty heated discussion about the local hazards and what we could expect coming through this area."
Imri laughed, "I'll just bet."
Lilly landed on Imri's horse. "Our village isn't far. Hallian said you'd be looking for a place to sleep soon and we would be glad to have you. We don't have many tall people come through this area."
Corinna nudged her horse up beside Imri's. "I've heard stories of what goes on in isolated windling villages and I'd love the distraction. "
Imri glanced back at Saevyl. "It's your trip," she said. "You have a say in whether or not we go."
Lilly ducked behind Hallian as she noticed the blood elf . "You didn't tell me about him."
"Saevyl's not too bad," Hallian replied. "As long as you don't mind the fact that he has no sense of humor. Imri's right, though, if he doesn't want to stay, we can't stay."
The blood elf shrugged. "It matters not to me. Comfort or discomfort is the same."
Hallian smiled. "Great! Lets go make sure everyone knows we're coming."
He took the other windling by the hand and they raced deeper into the forest. "I guess they'll find us eventually and lead us there." Corinna said.
Imri laughed. "As long as Hallian and his friend remember to let them know we're on our way. I just don't understand how a little one like that..."
Corinna laughed with her for the first time since the trip began. "I don't either."
True to his word, Hallian made sure they had an escort. The air around them was filled with shimmering wings and bell-like laughter. While guardsman on lizards paced them on either side.
Their antics were enough to draw Corinna out of her depression. She watched them, fascinated by their acrobatics. It wasn't that windlings were uncommon, it was just that there were so many of them.
Their escort stopped and then fluttered up into the trees. Corinna followed them with her eyes and saw the tiny dwellings built on sturdy branches.
Smaller windlings descended on them, obviously children. They kept a timid distance at first and then swooped in to touch, as fascinated by the horses as the riders. They left Saevyl and his mount alone. The boldest coming no closer than his horse's nose.
Hallian fluttered down, landing on Corinna's shoulder. "Off your horses, ladies. There's going to be a party you'll never forget."
Stuffed, slightly drunk, and weary from the day's ride, Corinna sat with her back to a tree, watching the fire they'd built. Windlings danced in the air all around the clearing while their minstrels played. Corinna could see Saevyl, just outside the fire's light, watching the display. He'd been visited briefly by only the bravest villagers and now sat alone.
Imri sat down beside her, her eyes also misted with drink. "I'm going to pull Hal's wings off one at a time," she said smiling.
Too full of food and wine to really care, Corinna asked. "Why?"
The windling music stopped suddenly and the dancers scattered to nearby branches. Only Hallian remained, hovering just above the fire. "Now, just as I promised, my very brave and beautiful companions will show you how the tall people dance."
"We'll what?" Corinna gasped as Imri hauled her to her feet.
"Hal said it was the least we could do to repay their hospitality."
The windlings cheered as they stood in the clearing. Imri's eyes sparkled as she stripped off her weapons. "You ready, elf?" she said. "Whoever lasts the longest gets to yank Hal's wings off."
"Not fair," Corinna protested. "You've got a warrior's stamina."
"And you've got a wizard's grace."
"A wizard's grace? What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you haven't had as much to drink as I have so be quiet and dance."
The music was starting and Corinna could feel the rhythm inviting her. It had been a long time. "All right, human," she said. "You're on."
The dance had started years ago as a challenge when they'd both had their eyes on the same man. It seemed almost silly to do it without a target, but Corrina was drunk enough to not mind being a little silly.
She closed her eyes and tried to imagine a tall, fair haired elf sitting beside the fire, his eyes following her every move. When she opened them, she could see him, slightly out of focus, but there. The fire's light flickered across his face.
Now that her imagination had supplied her with a focus, she altered her steps to bring herself closer to it. Her feet pounded the rhythm and she spun just out of his reach, losing herself in the dance. The music wanted to control her and she let it. It dissolved the tension that had bound her all during the journey.
She smiled down at her faerie prince and beckoned him to join her. When he didn't respond, she beckoned again and held out her hand.
The feel of warm, real fingers snapped her out of the magic of the dance. She could hear Imri's laughter as the musicians stopped. She thought she saw the hint of amusement in Saevyl's grey eyes as they shifted from her face to her hand where it rested in his.
Corinna could feel herself flushing. She was well aware that everyone in the clearing was waiting for her to react and had no idea what to do.
Saevyl stood and bowed to her. "I'm afraid I am not familiar with your style of dance," he said. "However, if you wish, I can teach you how we dance at the Court."
She could see Imri over the blood elf's shoulder, her eyes flashing with mischief and mirth. Corinna knew she'd never hear the end of it from her warrior friend if she refused.
The blood elf's eyes were unreadable. Did he want her to accept or refuse? The clearing was eerily silent. She met Saevyl's eyes and held them for the first time since they'd met. "I'd love to learn."
He took her other hand, but only their fingers touched. "Very well, I will begin slowly."
Had Imri said it, Corinna would have been sure it was meant as a challenge, but the blood elves had no emotion, no sense of humor. In fact she was very afraid that this dance would be a gross mockery of the former beauty of the Court, but she was not going to let him make a fool of her by refusing. Instead, she smiled. "I learn very quickly."
The musicians watched at first, as he walked her through to get a feel for the rhythm. The steps were complex and the movements precise as if it was meant to be danced on some intricately patterned floor. They touched nothing but fingers, but the almost touching was more seductive than close contact. Corinna kept her eyes on her feet, partly to keep up with her partner and partly to keep from meeting his eyes. Once she felt comfortable with where her feet had to be and relaxed, it had a strange, fluid beauty and was not at all like what she had expected.
The dance ended and Saevyl bowed to her again. "You do catch on very quickly. Should you ever find yourself at the Court, you will be at no loss for partners."
He turned away and left her in the middle of the clearing. She could hear the windlings cheering and felt Imri slap her across the back. "Impressive, Cori, very impressive. Wonder if I can get him to teach me."
Hallian fluttered down and landed on Imri's shoulder. "Guess he's not a Horror after all," he said. "Everyone knows Horrors can't dance."
Corinna avoided Saevyl the next morning. It had been much easier to deal with him when she'd hated everything he'd stood for...or everything she though he'd stood for. Now, she was just confused.
Finally, she pulled abreast of his horse. "Why?" she asked.
"Why what?"
"Why did you dance with me last night?"
"You did ask me to," he said. "Besides, I enjoy dancing."
"You enjoy dancing?"
"As much as I enjoy anything."
"I didn't think you could enjoy things."
"The thorns do not keep us from enjoying, they keep us from enjoying too much."
She didn't reply. His answers raised more questions...questions she wasn't sure she was ready to have answered.
With Imri's help, they managed to keep conversation going. Apparently Saevyl did have a sense of humor, it was just different. Even Hallian had to admit that when he let them catch up to him. As soon as they left the forest, he stayed with them instead of flying ahead.
He landed on Corinna's horse. "So, changing your mind about those evil elves from the Blood Wood?" he asked.
Corinna sighed. "Honestly? I don't know."
The windling grinned. "I think we should take him all the way to the Court."
She shook her head. "I don't think I'm ready for that. I was more than a little drunk last night and I'm not really sure what to think about what happened."
"Want to know what I think?" Hallian asked. "I think you think too much. You said you dreamed of the court. If it's not what you imagined, so what? It's somewhere you've never been and something you've never seen."
He sat backwards on the horse's neck so that he faced her. "Look, Saevyl's not the most fun person I've ever met, but that doesn't mean that I don't want to see what the Blood Wood is like, even if all the elves there are just like him."
He grinned. "Besides, I want to see a whole bunch of them doing that dance. That windling village will be talking about it for years."
His grin broadened. "You did make an interesting pair, though."
He launched himself off the horse just before her hand reached where he'd been sitting. He fluttered lazily above her head, just out of reach. "You two never learn, I'm just too fast."
"Just remember, you're not faster than magic," she reminded him.
He spiraled slowly upwards, the sun sparkling off his wings. Corinna watched him, slightly envious of his ability to fly. Sometimes, she found his sense of humor annoying, but most of the time, he brightened up a journey.
His spiral stopped and he zipped back in the direction they had come. He was not quite out of sight when he came speeding back. "Imri, we've got trouble."
Imri stopped her horse and Corinna and Saevyl moved up beside her. "What kind of trouble?" the warrior asked.
A handful of scorchers," the windling said. "Riding this way fast. If it wasn't so hazy, you could see their dust."
"Could they be following us?" Corinna asked
"We've made no effort to hide our trail," Imri said. "Did you get close enough to see their mounts?"
Hal nodded. "Yup, it's a raiding party on thundra mounts. No way we can outrun them."
He landed on Imri's saddle and opened her saddlebag. "I didn't take time to count them, but I don't think we're outnumbered much more than 2 to 1."
"That's comforting," Imri said, sliding her sword free. "I hate fighting mounted opponents and thundras are as nasty and ill-tempered as their riders."
Corinna scanned the horizon for any sign of their pursuers. "You'll want me to drop the mounts first, then," she said. "That will slow them down and split them up."
"And perhaps, once they realize that they're dealing with higher magic, they'll retreat," Saevyl suggested.
Hallian pulled his bow and quiver from Imri's pack. "Depends on why they're after us. If they're just bandits, they'll probably run, but if somebody sent them..."
Corinna noticed the suspicious look Imri shot at Saevyl. "Was it scorchers that attacked your group?"
"They were orks, yes," he replied. "They ambushed us in the mountains outside Throal. My horse bolted and threw me into a shallow gorge. By the time I regained consciousness, my companions lay dead on the path. Our attackers must have believed my fall had killed me."
"That doesn't sound like bandits," Imri said. "That sounds like someone really doesn't want you to get back home."
She dismounted and pulled her armor out of her saddle bags. "Okay, Cori, you take the mounts, and Hal and I will see what we can do about the riders."
"I can help as well," Saevyl offered. "I will target mounts first and then riders."
Imri nodded. "How far, Hal?"
The windling archer took to the sky. "They've slowed down," he replied. "I think they know we're ready for them, but I can't imagine how they figured it out."
A high screech was followed by the windling's scream as an eagle raked its talons across his back. Corinna sent a bolt of magic after it to keep it from attacking again, but couldn't react in time to stop Hallian's fall. Saevyl flung up one arm and the windling slowed and settled gently on the ground.
"Beastmaster!" Imri spat.
Saevyl grabbed a vial from his pack, just before dismounting. He unstoppered it on the way to where the windling lay and poured its contents down Hallian's throat.
Imri shouted. "Corinna! forget the mounts and find that Beastmaster!"
Corinna closed her one eye so that she saw the world through the amber gem. A magically created smoke had obscured the raiders from normal sight, but with the gem's aid, she could see them clearly. One of them radiated magical power.
She concentrated, gathering the energy she needed for the spell and set it speeding toward her victim.
The beastmaster screamed, but stayed on his mount. He and his companions came closer. Corinna could feel the pounding of the thundra hooves. She attacked again and again until the ork finally slumped in his saddle and then slipped off his mount.
She saw Saevyl tuck the windling in a saddlebag and send the horses away. Then he turned his attention to the raiders. Together, they felled four mounts before the remaining four closed upon Imri.
Corinna kept her attention on the riders of the fallen mounts. Imri would have enough trouble fending off the four around her without having to deal with more coming up behind. They were easier than the beastmaster had been, but it still seemed to take forever for them to fall. She prayed that Saevyl was helping Imri. As good as the warrior was, she was no match for four mounted orks. Losing the windling archer may well have lost them the battle, but she could spare that only a passing thought as she hurled her deadly magic at their attackers.
Then it was over. Ork scorchers and their mounts lay strewn across the plain, their blood soaking into the ground. She saw Saevyl on his knees with his back to her, but did not see Imri anywhere.
She stumbled over bodies to get to the blood elf's side. He supported Imri's head with one hand and was pouring the contents of another vial into her mouth. He glanced up at Corinna's approach. "I am no expert in these things, but I believe that she will live."
Corinna grabbed her friend's hand. "Thank you," she whispered.
She felt fingers on her shoulder. "Lets bind her wounds so that we can move her. I am hoping Hallian will recover soon and bring the horses back. We can't stay here.
Corinna ripped strips from her clothing and bound Imri's wounds while Saevyl gathered what he could from the dead. She envied him his emotionlessness as her hands began trembling.
He dropped a piece of parchment in front of her. "Can you read this?"
She picked it up. "I recognize it as orkish, but I can't read it. What is it?"
He shook his head. "I was rather hoping it was a clue to who sent these men."
"We can give it to Imri when she wakes. I think she reads it. "
The sound of horse's hooves distracted her. She stood, weak from her earlier exertion and prayed it was not more scorchers. There was no way she and Saevyl could stand another battle like that.
Hallian's green wings reflected in the light and the horses followed him. "Looks like I missed all the fun."
He landed next to Imri. "She going to be okay?"
Saevyl nodded. "I gave her the same thing I gave you, but her wounds are more serious and will take more time to heal."
He gazed back the way they had come. "I suggest we leave here soon. If these were an advanced scouting party..."
Corinna nodded. "Then we'll have to make sure we hide our trail this time."
With Saevyl's help, they bound Imri to Corinna's saddle. Corinna mounted behind her and kept her upright.
Hal led them to a spring the horses had found in a large copse of trees and Saevyl did what he could to obscure their trail.
Corinna rode in silence. The booster potions the blood elf had given her companions were not uncommon, but they were expensive. Again, his actions confused her and his motives puzzled her. She hoped once Imri was awake and could read the document, that some of the mysteries would be solved.
Imri woke as they made camp. She sat up slowly. "Where are we?"
"Not too far out of our way," Corinna replied. "Hal found us a wooded area to hide in. How do you feel?"
The warrior stretched. "Not as bad as I thought I would. Saevyl had more potions, huh?"
Corinna nodded. "Yes."
Imri grinned. "Real shame those blood elves are so corrupt and evil."
"We are his only protection."
"Of course, how silly of me to forget."
Corinna handed her the parchment. "We found this on one of the bodies."
Imri unrolled it and looked it over. "Looks like a contract for Saevyl's death. It doesn't mention him by name, but it does say that a particular blood elf should be sought out and killed. I don't recognize the name of the person who signed it, though. Elgin Firesight? "
She called over to Saevyl. "Does the name Elgin Firesight mean anything to you?"
"He is one of the Queen's advisors," the blood elf replied. "Why do you ask?"
"Because he wants you dead."
Saevyl's expression did not change. "Yes, I suppose that would make sense."
"Why?" Corinna asked.
"Because he has advised our Queen against this journey from the beginning. If I do not return, he will use that as fuel to his arguments that we not deal with the dwarfish king. It is his wish that we be the rulers of Throal."
Imri handed him the scroll. "Well, you'll want to take this to your Queen then."
He took the parchment and tossed it into the fire. "It will avail me nothing to do so. It will only alert Elgin that I'm aware of his treachery. I prefer that he believe me innocent of this and I will find other ways to act against him."
"Don't you think the Queen should know that he tried to sabotage her plans?" Corinna said.
"I'm sure she already does. She is not sure that she wishes an alliance with the dwarfish king. She prefers for the two factions in Court to do as they will and she observes their outcome. She would not interfere."
Corinna's jaw clenched tight. "You mean she probably knew your party was in danger and did nothing to stop it?"
"Most likely."
Anger filled her, but she bit back her acidic replies and walked away. She had no desire to confront him on the subject of his people again. They were not the elves of the Wyrm wood. They were another race entirely, no more related to Corinna and the Throalic elves than they were to the windlings.
She thought she heard Imri calling her name, but paid it no heed. She really needed to get away from Saevyl and the others at the camp. She needed to walk her mad off. Imri didn't need to have to mediate between her and the blood elf.
She ventured further from the fire, although she made sure to keep it in sight. It wouldn't do to have something happen to her while no one was in much shape to help. She considered just going back and trying to get along with Saevyl, but couldn't bring herself to do it.
Something caught her attention. It was an intriguing music, not too unlike what she'd heard in the windling village. She glanced back at the camp and debated whether or not to investigate. The tune seemed to be coming from close by and she was pretty sure she could find it and still not lose sight of the fire.
The music filtered through the trees. Perhaps, if she didn't startle them, they would let her just enjoy their celebration. It would help her get her mind off Saevyl and the corrupt workings of the Court.
She followed and didn't even notice when she lost sight of the camp. It beckoned to her, drawing her deeper into the forest. She ignored the thorns and brambles that scraped at her arms and the low branches that tugged at her hair. The music was the only important thing. It was everything.
Suddenly, her right hand was on fire. Sharp pain shot through her entire arm and snapped her out of her trance. Saevyl stood beside her, her right hand clenched tightly in his, the thorns piercing her flesh. His eyes met hers again. "Perhaps now you understand," he said letting go.
"It is the pain that makes us strong and keeps us from losing our senses, or our way."
He indicated the stagnant pond she had been about to enter. Green slime swirled on top of the water and nothing grew on its banks. Bare bones littered the shore. She shuddered and pulled her hand away.
"We'd better get back."
She walked in front of him, rubbing the spots on her palm where the thorns had drawn blood. Nothing made sense anymore. He was right that the pain had saved her, as it had saved his people from the Horrors, but it had awakened other things. It gave her a sick feeling, like she didn't really know herself any more.
When they returned to camp, Hallian fluttered down to her. "Hey, why'd you run off like that. We don't know what's here."
"I'm sorry," she said. "I was angry and I didn't want to trouble any of you with it."
"You okay, Cori?" Imri asked.
Corinna rubbed her palm again. "Yeah, I just wandered too far away, I guess. It's a good thing you sent Saevyl out to get me."
"We didn't send him," Imri said. "He said he thought you shouldn't be out by yourself and volunteered to go."
Again, the blood elf's eyes were unreadable when Corinna glanced back at him. He sat down beside the fire and did not mention what they had seen at the pond.
Imri stretched. "Well, I'm glad you're back. I sure hope the second half of this journey is less eventful than the first. I don't think I can deal with much more excitement."
Her expression sobered as she met Corinna's eyes. "Still wishing we hadn't taken this job?"
Corinna sighed. "I honestly don't know."
The next morning dawned with the sun shining brightly above a clear blue sky. Imri's wounds were nearly healed and she insisted they ride at first light. Saevyl's potion had worked its magic and she did not seem to be in any pain as she rode.
Once they were back on the path, Hallian flew forward and returned saying he'd found no indication of other riders. He alighted on Imri's saddle. "I can even see the Blood Wood, the sky's so clear."
Corinna found that to be welcome news. Her sleep had been tortured by nightmares of the stagnant pond and the thing that must have been lurking under the water. Saevyl had been in all of them, sometimes saving her and sometimes pushing her in.
Finally, she edged her horse beside Saevyl's. He glanced over at her, his eyes as cold as always. "Because I need your protection" he said before she could ask him.
"How did you know that was what I was going to ask?" she demanded.
"Your eyes betray your questions," he replied.
She sighed. "I just don't understand you."
He shrugged. "Until you have a better understanding of the ritual of the Thorns, you never will. Until then, you will always see me as either a cruel monster or a poor tortured soul who would give all I have to be without my deformity. Neither observation is correct. I am what I am, Corinna. I have taken the ritual and I would not reverse that decision even if I could."
She shuddered. "But what about the pain?"
"We do what we must to survive and every bit of power we take has a price. We are not as different as you would like to believe. Take your amber eye for example. You willingly deformed yourself to gain the power of astral sight, didn't you?"
"It's not the same."
"Isn't it? The ritual of Thorns was created by a people desperate to survive. I would say that is a much more noble cause than something you can do just as easily with a spell."
She felt her temper flaring again. "You don't understand me any more than I understand you!"
"True, to a point. Your emotions are so strong and so obvious, that through them, I can almost read your thoughts. That is a dangerous weakness."
Corinna pulled her mount back, not wanting to get into yet another screaming match, since she was the only one who ended up screaming. She rode again in silence, Saevyl's words gnawing at her. It was bad enough that he was changing the way she thought about his people, but he was making her question herself.
They reached the edge of the Blood Wood that night and camped in the fringes. Saevyl assured them that they'd be safe as long as he was with them. "What about Elgin Firesight?" Imri asked him.
"He does not dare show a hand of treachery inside the Wood," he assured her. "We will be safe her tonight and I will be on my way back to the Court tomorrow."
"Are we going?" Hallian asked.
Imri looked over at Corinna. "Well, Cori, I promised you that we'd stop here, do you still want to?"
Corinna searched their faces. Hallian really wanted to go, but Imri looked concerned. The Court had shown them treachery already, she had no desire to see any more. "Yes."
She thought Imri looked relieved. Saevyl bowed and handed Imri a sack filled with coin. "This is the second half of the price I promised. Tomorrow, I will be on my way."
He held out a hand to Corinna. "If you choose some time to return to the Court, I will see that you are welcomed. You are strong, Corinna, it is a shame you are too old to take part in the Ritual."
"I appreciate the kindness, Saevyl, but I don't think I'm willing to pay that kind of price."
"As you wish," he said.
At dawn, they bid him farewell and the blood elf made his way through the forest. They watched him until he was obscured by the trees. "Well, Cori, what do you think?"
Corinna shuddered. "I think I'm glad I'm not one of them."
Imri squeezed her shoulders. "I think I am too."
"I wish I'd gotten a chance to see the Court," Hallian said.
"Yeah, I'll bet," Imri said. "I've heard that part of the ritual of Thorns is to roast a windling over a camp fire."
For a moment, it looked as though he thought she might be serious, then he laughed. "Saevyl wasn't too bad, but he's just no fun at parties."
He zipped into the sky and they followed him, leaving Blood Wood and
blood elf behind them.
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