“Lana, you’ve changed,” he said, coming closer and kneeling in front of her, putting himself at eye level. “Why are you so…” He trailed off, unable to find the words.
“Yes,” she said simply, unsure of where to begin. “Ever since I entered Eva, much about me has changed. I’m not sure when-”
There was a knock at the door, startling both of them. Lana looked at Clay questioningly and he shook his head.
“Enter,” he called.
The door opened and Elder Braithe let himself in, looking harried.
“Princess, I apologize. There are a number of people outside and they will not leave until they can see you,” Braithe told her in an irritated tone. Clay looked at her curiously.
She turned to him. “I suppose all will be made clear very soon.”
Lana swept out of the room and the two elves plus the guards accompanied her. She made her way to the entrance of the palace and saw a massive crowd, all of her followers and elves from the city. Some were holding sick children in their arms, some were carrying older elves on stretchers.
Lana went to each of them, whispering soft words to their families. She did what she could to comfort the terrified elves and planted her little seeds within the sick. Once she was done, she retreated to the steps before the palace and turned to address the crowd.
“At this time every day, I will come out and heal the sick. Please bring them here to me. Do what you can to help your neighbors transport them to these steps. I’m sure the elders will find a way to arrange for sick rooms that I can visit in the future, but until then you will find me here when the day turns to night. Be strong.”
She looked into Elder Braithe’s eyes for a moment, daring him to argue with her, daring him to declare her a fraud. He looked shaken and unable to find any words. Clay, on the other hand, looked at her as if she had transformed into something extraordinary right before his eyes. She supposed she had.
“Come, we must speak,” she said to Braithe. Turning, she walked back into the palace with the cheers of the elven people ringing in her ears.
The High Priestess
Sometime later that evening, Lana found herself being scrutinized by a table full of old men, none of which seemed to like her very much. Clay stood next to her, shifting his feet and obviously uncomfortable.
The elders had gathered in the main chamber and were seated at a massive table that looked as if it had grown up out of the ground. There was one large chair at the center which was unoccupied and the men were seated to the left and right of it, facing outward. Lana stood before them, tall and proud.
“You mean to say,” one of the elders began, “That this illness is of the spirit, not the body?”
“Yes, from what I can tell, that is the truth,” she responded.
“And you claim that you can feel the spirits of elves?” he asked her, a smirk on his face.
Lana narrowed her eyes.
“Yes, I can.”
“Do you have any proof of this? Can anyone speak of it?” another elder spoke up, sounding more curious than angry. Lana turned slightly to address him.
“I don’t think it works that way, elder. None of the elves seem to be aware of my ability when I touch them. What I know is that the elves I have healed claim that they had a dream of me and in that dream, I helped them reconnect with the land.”
Sylwynn stood from his chair, which was positioned near the middle of the table. Lana wondered if that was a symbol of his standing among the council.
“Elders, I have taken the liberty of calling upon one of her companions to speak with us here. She may be able to shed some light on this subject.” He gestured and one of the guards at the entrance promptly turned and opened the door. Nym strode through and approached the table, stopping and kneeling when she was next to Lana.
“Elders,” Nym said, eyes on the floor.
“Thank you for joining us,” Sylwynn said, “You may stand.”
Nym rose and waited quietly, not looking at Lana or Clay. If she had been surprised or happy to see either of them, she didn’t betray it.
“This woman claims that she can feel the spirit of elves. What do you know of this?” Sylwynn asked.
Nym nodded at him. “Yes, it seems that perhaps she can. I don’t understand it but she could sense that the sickened elves were feeling lost and fearful. If they are near her or she touches them, they are revived.”
“Has she touched you? Could you feel her linked with your spirit?”
Nym blanched but she answered him. “She has touched me, Elder. She knew how I was feeling at the time, though I was trying hard not to show it. There is no other explanation for how she could have known. I could feel nothing but her skin on mine.”
“Thank you, Nym. You may leave.” Sylwynn told her, sitting and turning his attention back to Lana.
Nym nodded, spun on her heel, and left without a single glance at Lana.
“Elders, may I speak?” Clay stepped forward until he was directly at Lana’s side.
“You may,” Sylwynn said, nodding at him.
“This woman who stands before you is not the woman I took from Loral,” he began, gazing at Lana with a look of wonder in his eyes. “When I first met her, she could barely pass as an elf. Her features were softer and I could only sense her if I concentrated. In fact, I almost didn’t recognize her when I first laid eyes on her again in this very room.”
“You mean to say she
