As they watched, the body shimmered briefly, and the countenance changed from beautiful to sinister. The skin turned black as night, the hair a dull silver. What had been pleasant elven features were now cold and foreboding. Even in death, a certain arrogance had seemingly come over the corpse’s expression.
“A dark elf!” Lorian exclaimed.
Eric noted, “You’re surprised? I thought dark elves were known to be up to no good.”
The elf nodded. “Yes, what you’ve heard is true.” He flicked a glance at the rogue. “Once again you seem to know all about a race that you believe does not exist on your world. In any case, dark elves live far from Alunia and have no business here.” He cocked his head, examining the body.
“What is it?” Eric asked.
“I’m not sure,” Lorian replied. “Something about this dark elf is different in a way I cannot ascertain. We will need to examine his remains.”
“Lorian,” Matt interrupted, getting his attention. “The orb?”
The elf retrieved it and Matt saw it had gone dark, looking like little more than a shiny black ball, and weighing several pounds. He told Lorian what he’d seen in it, getting a nod of recognition.
“It’s a communication sphere,” announced Lorian, slipping it into a pouch. “It is unfortunate we cannot learn what this elf was doing here or who he was communicating with.”
“He was using it when I caught him,” said Eric, watching Anna, who still looked pale. He related what happened prior to the pursuit.
“But I thought no one knew we were coming here,” Ryan objected.
“No,” disagreed Matt, “the queen’s inner circle knew.”
“Yeah, but she’d have no reason to stop us,” observed Anna, grimacing, “unless it was Sonneri.”
“Perhaps not,” agreed Lorian, “but I have known Queen Lorella for years. She is trustworthy. But it is not unheard of for those close to a ruling body to have their own secret agenda.” He went on to relate the bird spy Matt accidentally roasted. They absorbed that in silence.
Ryan remarked, “So two different spies. Does that mean someone was being cautious by making sure one spy succeeded if the other failed, or were two different people trying to get information about us?”
“I suspect the latter,” Lorian replied, “based on what Andier has related.”
Eric asked, “Is there any way to see who this spy was talking to last?”
“You mean like dialing star sixty-nine?” Matt asked, thinking of telephones and calling back the last number that called you.
Clearly not understanding the reference, the elf just said, “Not that I know of, no.”
“We should warn the queen, for her own protection,” Anna suggested weakly, “in case there is a spy in her midst.”
“Agreed,” said Lorian. “I will send someone.”
Suddenly Matt noticed an elf silently step out from behind a nearby tree, then another and another. He’d heard of their legendary quiet in books but never witnessed it. They’d come right up on them without anyone noticing, save perhaps Lorian, who didn’t look surprised. The elf directed the newcomers to take the body to the house as the rest of them followed, feeling like a funeral procession. The body count continued to climb and it was hard not to wonder if it would soon include them.
Chapter 11 – The Ellorian Champions
Unable to stop his pacing, Ryan waited for Lorian to join him in a private meeting room. The time had come to get at least himself out of going to Castle Darlonon, as guilty as that made him feel about not helping his friends. He’d decided he could live with that, however, but not with causing another person’s death. The scene of the dark elf’s murder had shocked him, and though someone else had done it, even being on Honyn had led to that. It seemed that death would follow them until this quest ended, and he wanted his part done right now. He would not watch another man die.
When Lorian arrived with a questioning look on his face, Ryan turned to him almost angrily.
“Shut the door,” he commanded, then realized his rudeness and softened his tone. “Please.”
The elf nodded and did so, quietly watching Ryan continue pacing.
“How many elves are going to the castle?” Ryan finally asked, opting for small talk first.
“I haven’t decided,” Lorian began, “but sufficient numbers that the four of you should see little fighting or a need for magic and healing.”
“Good.” After a pause, he blurted out, “Because I don’t intend to go with you at all.”
Lorian’s surprise shone on his face. “You will remain behind while your friends ride into danger?”
Ryan opened his mouth, then shut it. That wasn’t fair. It made it sound like that was his goal. “Look, I can’t do this. I’m not a knight and know nothing about sword fighting, and I don’t like killing people! I want no part of it!”
Gesturing to a chair, the elf said, “Let us sit and talk. I understand your reluctance. You seem to know something of elves, but let me assure you we value life greatly and do not lightly end it or risk our own.”
That sounded like elves, alright. Ryan reluctantly took a chair, trying to calm down.
“It is common among elves,” Lorian continued, “to avoid a death strike and instead disable our opponents, but we also understand that death is sometimes the outcome of such violence. Even the gentlest among us must acknowledge that those who seek to do evil through violence are risking their own lives of their own volition. They must expect violent opposition, and it is foolishness for us to refuse self-defense.”
“But I’m a Christian!” Ryan protested. “We’re supposed to turn the other cheek because violence begets violence. The cycle will never end if we don’t. There are whole regions of Earth that will forever be at war because they always retaliate.”
Lorian held up a hand to calm him. “But what happens if you do not defend yourself? Are you not merely cut down, your life ended by those with an opposing view of what is right and just in the world?
