Are you well, my love? Kal's audeas asked. He assured her that he was and went back to the tirsai man on the ground. Gannon Oenel was familiar to him, as much a fixture among the amaterasu as Noelani. The union between Noelani and Gannon was unprecedented, the first of its kind and celebrated by both nations. It was a mistake they would never make again, but that did not change how Noelani felt about her lost husband. Kalelako could only imagine what it would feel like if he lost her, let alone in the manner she lost Gannon. It would crush him. But, she was strong and resilient, squatting beside him with narrowed eyes. She studied a scarred tattoo on his chest, the remnants of what might have been a tribal phoenix, a symbol of the Empire’s nobility. He saw the pain in Noelani’s face, the hope and equal amount of trepidation. Everything would change if the man at their feet turned out to be who Kaleo said he was.
“Are you sure you want me to do this?” Kalelako asked, looking at Noelani. He would do anything she asked, but this seemed… wrong, somehow.
“I have to know, Kal,” she said, making him sigh. The thief-taker behind him snorted, shifting enough to make the shackles he wore jingle. Kalelako ignored him, laying his hand on the bard’s brow. It was warm to the touch, sweat beading on the skin - an effect of the poison.
Show me what you know… he commanded, giving a strong mental push that forced all of the bard's memories and thoughts to the surface. It was difficult to do because of the poison and something only a Speaker could accomplish because of the added Power to force the spell to work. Still, he did not like it, listening to the man whimper and groan beneath his touch.
Kalelako started from the most recent thoughts and memories, and worked backwards. What he saw did not help what they already knew. He saw Kaleo, the boy smiling and happy with the bard and a woman with stunning cerulean eyes and red hair; human. He saw their lives, felt pride during a performance, or concern for Kaleo; love for the human and intimate moments with her that made the avian Speaker flush. He saw another woman, half-olven, with copper skin and the duende thief-taker behind him in various misadventures through lands Kalelako could only imagine. There was love there too, among the three, and intimacy that was neither lustful nor familial but something in between. They watched out for each other, worked as a team. The thoughts revolving around the thief-taker were sometimes volatile, and tinged with betrayal while the thoughts of the copper-skinned woman were of… salvation. Then… nothing.
Kalelako removed his hand, straightening slightly with a frown on his face.
“Well? What’s wrong?” Noelani asked. He did not answer. “Kal?”
“I… don’t know,” he finally admitted, looking at her from where he crouched. He looked at the bard again, the man’s face contorted in near pain. It hurt Kalelako to know he’d caused that.
“How can that be? Is it him or not?”
“I don’t know, Noelani,” Kalelako said. “I saw his life, his thoughts but then it just - stops. There’s nothing there before meeting Master Roe and a cantari woman, half-olven.”
“That’s not possible,” Noelani said before sucking in breath. Kalelako froze, feeling a sharp pinprick at his neck that forced his muscles to go stiff and his breath to catch.
“There’s a lot of things that aren’t possible, Amatessa,” Kaleo growled from above him. “Sleep.”
The Power in Kaleo's voice dropped Noelani to the ground in a heap. Were it not for the sharp needle at his neck, Kalelako would have made movement to help her. As it was, any movement at all would press the needle in further and fill him, no doubt, with the same poison that currently cursed the bard.
“I’m sorry, Kal, I really am. I actually rather like you. But I already lost him once. I won’t lose him again. Take care of her - she’s not that vile when she’s not insane. Tell L’nae I’ll come back for her.”
Kalelako opened his mouth to speak but hissed instead, feeling the needle bury itself in his flesh. He felt heavy, dizzy, and knew the floor rushed up to greet him before the poison finished hitting his system.
Kaleo looked down at the avian Speaker and sighed. Lara and Fionn were behind him. He turned his attention on Reven, checking the bard’s pulse before heaving him onto Fionn’s back with Lara holding him up right.
“Oi!” Liam barked. “C’mon, mate.”
Kaleo glared at the thief-taker. He looked to Lara who nodded, taking Fionn and Reven out through narrow passages at the bottom of the cliff in the same manner they came in. Kaleo moved close to the bars, crouching low to look at Liam.
“You’re not worth the air you breathe,” Kaleo said softly. “You know that, don’t you?”
“I was just tryin’ t’protect ‘im,” Liam argued. Kaleo grinned.
“Like you were trying to protect him by not telling him who he is, Zorian? Tribal name, isn’t it? Tria’ael, if I’m not mistaken. Hunters of the Wind. When did they banish you?”
To his credit, Liam merely swallowed hard and sat back, head hanging low. He was from Asphondel where Kaleo’s grandfather once lived with the Avi’ael tribe in the northern forests. Of course the cursed thief-taker knew who Reven was - anyone within the bounds of the Empire and their allied nations knew who Gannon Oenel was, especially members of the duende tribes. It was because of Gannon that relations between the tirsai and duende grew strong. Kaleo wanted to hit Liam for his lies.
“The gods will decide his judgment,” Ajana said from behind Kaleo. “Let him go. He can find his own way.”
Kaleo rose to his feet, glaring down at Liam but did as the dancer commanded. The lock on the cell snapped
