The Sword of Truth

interest in you. The only question is, what direction will that interest take?”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing,” Lee answered, waving his hand dismissively. “Just be careful. She doesn’t appear to be the type that gives her affections lightly.”

“You don’t mean…” Gewey stammered. “You don’t think she…” Lee burst out in laughter.

“No,” he said. “But that would be a dilemma, considering the way you look at Dina.”

Gewey blushed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, unable to look Lee in the eye.

Lee spotted a fallen tree and sat down. “Sit,” he said. “We should talk.”

Gewey sat next to Lee with his eyes fixed firmly on the ground.

“If things had been different, your father would be where I am now,” Lee explained. “But unfortunately, it’s left to me.”

Gewey was mortified. “If you’re about to have that talk with me, my father did have it…when I was ten.”

Lee shook his head, smiling. “Not that talk. You’re a young man now-a handsome one at that-and your body has far outpaced your maturity.” Gewey looked offended, but Lee raised his hand. “I don’t mean to say you’re immature. The entire village depended on you, after you inherited the farm from your father, and you didn’t let them down even once. But dealing with women is much more difficult than running a farm. Your feelings for Dina are obvious. I’m sure she knows it, too.”

Gewey eyes shot wide.

“Don’t be embarrassed,” Lee said, putting his hand on Gewey’s shoulder. “I don’t think she takes it for anything more than boyish infatuation. But when you’re young, you never feel love just a little. It’s bigger and more powerful than any enemy you’ll face. You must understand something Gewey. You are a God bound to earth as a human, and you have a great task ahead of you. I would never tell you not to explore your feelings, but I would warn you of the dangers. If Dina doesn’t feel the same as you, the pain might be unbearable, and it could end up even worse if the feelings are mutual. All I ask is that you don’t push the issue. If things happen, so be it, but please take it slowly and speak to me when you don’t know what to do. Love for you will be a touchy thing; as a God, you can’t know where it will lead.” Lee chuckled to himself. “Even as a man, it’s like walking through the forest deaf and blind.”

“Have you ever loved?” Gewey asked.

Lee’s eyes suddenly became distant. “I told you that the Oracle said I would have to sacrifice everything,” he said. “I once had a wife and son.”

“What happened to them?”

“I left them behind,” Lee confessed. “My road would have put them in too much danger. I couldn’t have that.”

“Where are they now?”

“Safe in Hazrah,” Lee answered. “But it’s not something I enjoy talking about.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“It’s fine,” Lee assured him. “I made my choice. But I want you to promise to talk to me as things… progress.”

“I promise.”

Suddenly, Lee looked as if he had been struck by lightning.

“What is it?” Gewey asked impatiently.

“Bound to earth,” Lee mused. “You’re bound to earth.”

“You’re not making sense.”

“Felsafell said your strength was in the earth!” Lee said excitedly. “I think I understand what he meant. You see, my father is Saraf God of the Seas, and so when I’m near the water I can listen to its heartbeat and gain strength. I have to sit and meditate to draw on this power, but maybe you can draw from it directly, as you fight.”

“How would I do that?” Gewey asked, puzzled.

“First you must learn to hear the earth. The sword can wait. Kaylia’s teaching you the knife. That will have to do for now. Tomorrow we will try to tap into your true power.”

That night, Kaylia seemed different during training. Gewey was able to find her in the shadow three out of four times, and he was able to avoid her for over twenty minutes. Finally, she told him the lesson was over and started back to camp.

“Wait,” Gewey said.

Kaylia stopped but didn’t turn around. “What is it?”

“You said you would help me understand what Felsafell told me. I’m ready to tell you.”

“Perhaps you shouldn’t,” Kaylia advised.

“I don’t understand. Why not?”

“My judgment is compromised,” she replied. “I’m sorry.”

“Tell me what’s wrong,” Gewey pleaded. “Maybe I can help.”

Kaylia laughed softly. “It’s not something you would understand.”

“Is it because I’m so young?”

“Age is not something elves look at to determine ability,” she explained. “I’m old by human standards, but not much more than a child to my own people. The reason you wouldn’t understand is that you’re not an elf.”

“I could try. I might surprise you.”

“I think you might,” Kaylia agreed. “But I need to work this out my own. Don’t worry, I’ll be alright.”

That night, Kaylia slept far from the others. Gewey stopped wondering what was troubling her. His thoughts wandered to what Lee had told him about elven feelings, but that only raised questions in his mind that made him laugh at himself. If Kaylia were human, he would take her words to mean something else, but she was right; he didn’t understand elves.

The next day, Kaylia sat in silence with her hood pulled far over her face as they rode in the wagon. Dina laughed merrily as Lee spun tales of his past adventures. Gewey loved Lee’s stories-especially the ones that included Gewey’s father-and never tired of hearing them.

He tried to tell a few of his own, but every time Dina looked at him his tongue felt heavy and useless, and eventually he stopped trying.

“Kaylia,” Dina said, trying to make conversation. “Surely you have some adventures you could share to pass the time.”

Kaylia didn’t look up. “I have no desire to pass the time,” she said flatly.

Dina cleared her throat. “Okay, then. How’s your training going, Gewey?”

“You’d have to ask my teachers.”

“He needs to work harder,” Lee chimed in. “But I think he shows promise.”

“You should feel fortunate,” said Dina. “Not many people get to train with a man like Lee, let alone an elven warrior.”

“I’m no warrior,” Kaylia snapped. “There are no elven warriors. You humans know nothing.”

“I’m sorry,” Dina said sincerely, reaching over to touch Kaylia’s knee. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”

Kaylia’s hand immediately shot out, grabbing Dina by the wrist. Her eyes fixed stonily on Dina’s. “Abomination,” she hissed. She reached down and drew her knife. Dina screamed and tried to climb over Lee to get away, but Kaylia was too fast. Before anyone could move, she had caught Dina and pulled her to the floor of the wagon, knife pressed to Dina’s throat.

“Abomination!” she repeated, louder than the first time.

Gewey was in shock. “Afisul Si Damon!” he shouted, the words spilling out before he knew what he was saying.

Kaylia stopped abruptly, her eyes wide. She stared at Gewey, stunned.

“How?” she cried. “How do you know these words?”

Kaylia leapt from the wagon and ran. Gewey tried to go after her, but she was out of sight before he could make it more than a few feet.