wall, far enough away from the waterfall that her clothes wouldn’t end up saturated from the spray.
It was the same place she and Mirar had once rested and discussed their futures. At the time she had been full of optimism at the idea of searching out other immortals. Mirar had been struggling to acknowledge the part of him that was Leiard. The part that loved Auraya.
A good thing he hadn’t known then that she doesn’t return that love, Emerahl thought. It would have made it much more difficult for him to accept the fragment of his personality he’d created. Why accept Leiard if it meant suffering a broken heart?
He was whole now. Stronger. He could cope with the bad news that Chaia had been Auraya’s lover. At least she hoped he could. There was a small danger he’d fragment into a split persona again.
Auraya probably hadn’t considered that. Or maybe she had. Maybe this was why she was reluctant to tell Mirar.
Emerahl sighed. She had meant what she had said to Auraya. Put in the same situation, Emerahl would probably feel the same way about Mirar. She’d feel distrustful of any lingering feelings she had for someone who had turned out to not be who she thought he was. Even the prospect of meeting that man would make her wary. What else would prove to be untrue?
While Leiard was a part of Mirar, he would never again exist as the man Auraya had known. What had she said? “I can’t turn from the little I have left of my life for a made-up piece of a person buried somewhere within a man I don’t know.”
Beneath the defensiveness there had been something raw. Emerahl drew in a sharp breath as she realized what it was.
She’s actually grieving for Leiard. To her he is dead. And she feels tricked and cheated for having fallen in love with an illusion. Why didn’t I see that before?
It had turned into a big mess that did neither Auraya nor Mirar any good. Even without all this complication, the chances of Auraya and Mirar being happy together weren’t great. Auraya was still loyal to the gods (and while Emerahl thought little of this, she had to allow the woman had the right to follow the gods if it pleased her). Mirar hated them and the feeling was mutual.
The sooner those two were relieved of the source of their misery, the better. It would hurt Mirar more, but he’d got over unrequited love plenty of times before. Auraya would recover from her grief for Leiard more easily without him reminding her of what she’d lost.
Emerahl sighed. I was hoping Auraya felt something for Mirar so we immortals could feel a little safer. She chuckled. Making her hate me certainly isn’t going to do us any good. I should be more sympathetic.
She shifted into a more comfortable position. Closing her eyes, she let herself sink toward sleep. The pull toward full unconsciousness was strong, but she resisted.
:Mirar, she called.
There was no answer. It was early evening where he was and he probably hadn’t retired to bed yet. She turned her thoughts toward other minds.
:Tamun. Surim.
:Yes, Emerahl?
Sometimes The Twins spoke as one during links. It was disconcerting. The pair were so different in nature. The impression they gave when united like this was of a personality more complicated than an ordinary human. Something greater than human. Something inhuman.
At times like these she knew why they had been so revered in their time.
:How are you two faring?
:As well as always, Tamun replied. Surim is getting all moon-eyed over a swamp girl again and I am endeavoring to put up with it.
:Tamun expects me to gather food and materials for her weaving, but she won’t let me have some fun in the process, Surim complained. It’s not fair an—
:How is Auraya doing? Tamun asked.
Emerahl felt a wave of amusement at Tamun’s sudden change of subject.
:She’s only let the shield around her mind slip once or twice since discovering how to raise it.
:Mirar did say she was a fast learner, Tamun said. Maybe it is because of her youth. She hasn’t had time to become set in her ways of thinking.
:Maybe, Surim agreed.
:Something happened tonight, Emerahl told them. She saw something while mind-skimming that bothered her.
:She didn’t tell you what it was?
:No. I don’t think I should stay here much longer.
:But you have not taught her immortality.
:I will offer to, but I’m sure she’ll refuse - and if she is as smart as Mirar says, she will work it out for herself.
:You’re right, Tamun said, but that was what Mirar sent you there for. He may be disappointed.
:He will have to live with that. I won’t force her to learn it if she doesn’t want to.
:If she does, will you teach her to change her age?
:Mirar says it is my innate Gift, and no other can learn it.
:Mirar may be wrong about innate Gifts. His is supposed to be magical healing, but he has taught it to others.
:But no other can use it as well as he. I wouldn’t have been able to survive being crushed, as he did.
:You don’t know that. But if an innate Gift is one that an immortal can do better than others perhaps Auraya will be able to change her age but not as well as you can. Perhaps you can learn to fly, but not as well as she.
:Flying is not a Gift you’d want to have less ability for. Failing could be painful or fatal. I’ll hardly be able to take up the Quest for the Scroll again if I’m stuck in Si, healing from multiple bone fractures.
:True. What do you think Auraya will do once you leave?
:Return to the Open. Carry on as if nothing has happened.
:If she can do so will be up to the gods to decide, Surim said, suddenly serious. They will not be able to kill her easily, but they may use her trust in them to trap her.
:When they fail, Tamun continued, she will have only us to turn to for help.
:She will be a powerful ally, Surim finished.
:For all your claims the future can’t be predicted, you two certainly like sounding as if you can do just that, Emerahl observed.
:I don’t, Tamun said. But when Surim gets all dramatic I feel I must support him.
:You love it as much as I do, Surim told his sister. Go on. Admit it.
:I get no pleasure from unwarranted exaggeration or theatrics, Tamun declared. But it would b—
:Are you certain the gods will turn on Auraya? Emerahl interrupted. No doubt in your minds?
:There are always doubts, Surim admitted. The future can’t be predicted, only guessed. The gods have a habit of killing immortals, but there is always a chance they’ll stay their hand for one of their followers.
