“This is a very, very old place,” she told Nym quietly. “I can feel the age in the tree. It’s so tired.”
Nym nodded absently. Her mind was on the sickness in the land and her growing fear that the elders would tell Lana about what she’d done to Jacob.
Suddenly, a door at the other end of the chamber opened and Sen came striding through, followed closely by the elders.
“Everyone, out!” Sen barked and all of the elves aside from Lana, Nym and Sen himself filed out of the room in a hurry.
Nym and Sen dropped to their knees and she motioned Lana to do the same. Lana eyed her and then came to stand by them but refused to kneel.
Oh, no. Nym thought. Why is she choosing now to be an obstinate princess?
The elders approached and stood before them.
“Thank you, Sen. You may go,” Elder Sylwynn said, standing shoulder to shoulder with Elders Braithe and Roland.
“Come, sit,” Braithe said, smiling kindly at the women. Nym knew better than to trust that smile. He appeared to be a kind man but he was tough as nails underneath. Lana didn’t appear to trust his warmth, either. Smart girl.
The women followed the elders to a small table and chairs near a window and sat. Braithe seemed to be taking the lead, so Nym addressed him first.
“Elder, I have returned from my mission,” she began. “Along the way, I -”
“We already know what happened, girl,” Roland said abruptly, cutting her off. “You took on a mission from another elf but you are not to blame, he is.”
Nym could see Lana’s face light up at the mention of Clay, though they didn’t use his name. She opened her mouth to speak, but Roland continued.
“It was a high crime for him to disobey orders but you will not be punished. Your job was completed successfully, I trust?”
Nym looked down at her hands. “Yes, elder.” She prayed they wouldn’t talk about the specifics of her mission, that this wouldn’t be the moment Lana learned the awful truth of it.
“That is well, you may leave,” Roland told her. When Nym heard the words, her relief was so great that she almost swooned. But she knew of course that this respite from the truth was probably only temporary. As she turned to leave the hall, Nym took what she knew could easily be a last look at her dearest friend.
She knew if the elders spoke of Jacob, what she’d done to him, the next time she saw Lana they would probably meet as enemies.
* * *
Lana heard the door open and close as Nym left but she never looked away from the men before her. They seemed friendly but she couldn’t shake the feeling that the elders couldn’t be trusted. Lana could sense that she was treading in dangerous water and had neither Clay nor Nym to keep her safe. She would have to navigate this situation on her own. She sat quietly and waited for the men to speak. She wouldn’t be the one to break the silence.
“I’m Elder Braithe,” the kindly looking elf said, smiling at her warmly. He gestured to his right and introduced Elder Sylwynn and the elf to his left was Elder Roland. Lana nodded to each of them in greeting but continued to keep her silence.
“Princess Lana,” Braithe continued after an uncomfortable moment. “I suppose you have been told that you are in fact half elf?”
She nodded at the man once, then continued to wait for more.
Elder Braithe cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, shooting a glance at Sylwynn.
“Young lady, we are glad to have you home,” he said, trying a smile again. “You perhaps have many questions about your elven heritage. We would be happy to tell you whatever you may wish to know.”
“I wish to know many things, Elder,” Lana said in an icy tone. Not quite angry, but certainly stern. She was a princess, after all. “To begin with, I wish to know where Clay is.”
Braithe’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“You mean to say that he is not with you?” he asked her. “Why, he left long ago to meet with you, did your paths not cross?”
Lana’s mouth went dry and her heart skipped a beat.
“He never…” she trailed off, unable to speak.
“Yes, he came here to speak with us and let us know that Nym had taken over his mission. He was chastised but that was all. He left right away saying he had some important matter to see to and that he would be meeting up with you and escorting you here.” Braithe frowned, a look of concern on his face. “I cannot imagine what may have kept him. We can send a team to search.”
“Yes,” Lana said, trying to control her fear. “Please do.”
“Of course, princess. We’ll see to it as soon as we’re done here,” he told her, reaching out to pat her hand.
As soon as he touched her, she knew he was lying. Her eyes widened and the color left her cheeks. She stood and backed away from the men.
“Why are you lying to me about Clay? What have you done?” she demanded.
The men stood as well, looking startled and alarmed.
“Princess, we wouldn’t lie to you,” Elder Braithe insisted.
Lana drew herself up to her full height and looked at each of them in turn. “I can read an elf by touch the same as the elves can read the trees. I can see into your heart, old man. I know you for what you are. Now you will tell me the truth.”
“Preposterous. There has never been a creature that can do such a thing,” Roland told her, furious at her obstinacy.
“There is much you don’t know,” Lana said icily, walking towards the men. They began to back away. “Did you know that elf children are dying all across your land?”
“Yes, it’s merely a childhood illness…” Sylwynn trailed off as she continued to advance on them.
“The elf children are becoming deaf to the
