To make matters worse, there were troubling reports coming into the city. Not only were elves of all ages becoming ill and dying, but there was also talk of rot across the land. Trees that were healthy one day would be dead the next. Fruit would spoil within hours of being picked. Flowers were wilting on the vine. The animals that provided wool and milk were dying as well, and apparently for no reason. It was as if the sickness of the elves had spread to the land itself and Eva was dying.
Clay did whatever he could to distract Lana each day. He was her constant companion. They ate together, he went with her when she performed her healing duties, they slept together every night although she hadn’t yet become his lover. It was enough for her to simply be held by him, to be close to him. When she joined him in bed, he would pull her close and kiss her, and there was certainly passion there but her heart was still too raw from Nym’s betrayal, and her days were far too long to even think about taking that next step with him. Not yet, but maybe soon.
It had been several days since Nym departed Thelsamel and Lana was finally beginning to feel like herself again. The grief was still fresh in her heart but she had grown stronger, able to push it down and get on with her life. The first thing she always did after breaking her fast was meet with the elders, and this day was no different. She was seated across from them at the great table in the central chamber, hearing a report from an elf messenger about the state of things across Eva.
“We are still trying to get accurate numbers from the villages that lie closer to the border, but it takes time to travel there and back. What we know is that for every elf we save, five die before they can get here. Furthermore, elves are dying in the city still. Some live alone so no one was aware that they were unwell.”
Clay was standing behind Lana’s seat and he put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She knew she couldn’t save all of them but every death was like a lash across her back. She had to keep her composure in front of the elders. She could weep for the dead later, privately.
The messenger cleared his throat and continued reading from the report in his hands.
“Another troubling factor is the rate of birth. It seems that there have been no elf births in the last several weeks. There has also been an alarming number of miscarriages, and no new pregnancies are occurring.”
The elders shifted uncomfortably in their seats, some looking close to panic.
“Finally, the reports about trees, crops, and other vegetation rotting and dying have not slowed. One of the fields that produce the bulk of our grain turned to rot overnight and there is nothing that can be salvaged from it. It’s feared that this will cause a famine soon and we must begin rationing grain across the region.”
The messenger stopped reading and placed the report on the table for the elders to read for themselves. He nodded to the men, then bowed deeply to Lana before he left. The people seemed to love her. She thought the elders were probably looking rather useless next to her ability to heal and comfort the sick elves.
“This is dire news, indeed,” Sylwynn said darkly. “Princess, do you think perhaps you can heal the trees as you have healed the sickened elves?”
“I don’t know,” she said, frowning. “I haven’t tried. I suppose I could travel to one of these areas and see what I can do, but I fear for the elves that will die if I’m not here.”
“Of course, Princess. That is a very good point. We shall have to speak of this and decide what the best course of action is.”
“It sounds as though you have no further need of me today. I would like to take a walk before I go see to the sick. Send for me if you have a need,” Lana said, standing. She took Clay’s arm and they exited the chamber, leaving the elders to their own conversations.
“I have an idea about what we should do today,” Clay said, a playful look in his eyes. “I think you need to be diverted at least for an hour. How about we go take a walk in the garden?”
“We take walks in the garden almost every day,” she told him, nudging him in the ribs. Indeed, it was one of her favorite things to do. The Great Tree from the legends was there and she was always amazed by its massive size and the aura of peace that rolled off of it. “What’s so diverting about that?”
“Oh, you’ll see.” He winked at her and led her down the halls that would take them to the garden.
It was an amazing sight and she was still a little awestruck every time she visited. The flowers were in bloom and everything she could see was full of life. In the middle of the garden sat the Great Tree, the very same one that had bestowed Ollyth upon the high priestess.
“Stay here,” Clay said, stepping away from her. She watched him warily, curious about what he intended to do to pass the time here in the gardens. He walked around behind one of the benches and bent to retrieve something that had been stashed
