Lyrien Nightwalker's Arc

Chapter 4 of 6

Elara stood in the doorway, arms crossed. The lynx pressed against her bare ankle. Lyrien saw no fear in her when she spoke of the woman who took her. She spoke as if listing the weather. That flat calm scared him more than any tears would have. He had found her, but he could not make her leave. "I am looking for something," she said. "Before I go anywhere." "Tell me what." "A necklace. Gold. One red stone." She touched her own throat. "I wore it the day she took me. She hid it. It is the only thing that was ever mine." A man came around the side of the cottage before Lyrien could answer. Short, grey-haired, wolf-eared, with orange eyes that missed nothing. A leather belt held small bottles and pouches. Lyrien reached for his sword. The man raised both open hands. "Garlik," he said. "I sell things. I sold to the woman who lives here." He looked at Elara. "Last week a buyer bolted from my cart. Left coin in the dirt. I came to ask her why." He studied the king's fine boots under the plain cloak. "She is not home. Good for you." "You knew her," Elara said. "Did she buy from you? A gold chain. A red stone." Garlik went still. He looked at Elara for a long moment. Then he reached into a deep pouch. "She sold it to me. Two winters back. Said it was worthless." He drew out the necklace. Gold links. A single red ruby, cut long and bright. "I kept it. The stone was too good to melt." Elara did not move. Lyrien took the necklace from Garlik's clawed hand. He held it up. The ruby caught the morning light. He stepped to Elara and laid it flat in her palm. Her fingers closed over it. For the first time her face broke. Not tears. A short, sharp breath, like a wall cracking. "This is mine," she said. "This is true. I did not make it up." "It is yours," Lyrien said. "And your king and queen are real. I will take you to them, or bring them to you. You choose." Garlik shouldered his pouch. "She will be back before dark. If you mean to go, go now." He turned toward the road. "I was never here." Elara clasped the necklace around her neck. She looked at the cottage that had held her whole life. Then she looked at the road. "I will go with you," she said. "Now. Before she comes back." Lyrien held out his hand. She took it. They ran for his horse. But the sun was already climbing, and the woman's road was the only road down. Whatever spooked Garlik's buyer was somewhere on it, and so was she.