The falcon's daughters

Chapter 52

Sol watched the sun rise above the palace walls. She took out the star-shaped stone and looked at it gloomily. With a sigh she closed her eyes and her fingers wrapped around the stone. She called out loudly with her thoughts.

- Kit! Kit, can you hear me? 

She jerked when the answer came quickly and clearly.

- Sol I'm glad to hear your voice but please don't scream in my head.

- Oh thank the gods little sister. We have been worried.

- Why?

- Lace was told there was a monster in the fog and when I could not reach you we feared the worst.

- We're fine. Or me and Dorcha at least. Wait Lace knew about this thing?

- Not from the start he didn't. When he found out we tried to reach you but we couldn't. How is Cade?

- He was wounded in a battle with the creature but it is not that dangerous. We will stay here during the day and continue tomorrow if he can.

- And the creature?

- It's dead. Sol is everything alright? You sound different.

- I am no longer a seer. The Council has taken my powers.

- Oh Sol, I’m so sorry but why?

- I'll tell you everything when you return. You should be back a few days before I have to leave.

- Are you still going to make the journey to the oracle?

- Yes. The Council said that the journey must be made.

- I understand. I will contact you when we reach Teralana.

- Until then. And be careful little sister.

- I will.

 Sol could hear the laughter in her sister’s voice when they broke the connection.

- They are fine Deó.

- Of course they are. Did you have any doubts?

- I know I worry too much.

- Well you do. Our sisters are strong. They will come back to us.

- I have to tell Lace that she's safe.

She got up from the window frame and hurried to the door. Deó was right behind her when she opened the door and ran straight into Lee.

- Lee!

She quickly took a few steps back in response to the surprise of him standing outside her door.

- Sol.

He followed her gaze to his clenched hand that was still in the air and lowered it.

- I was just about to knock. I think we …

- Sorry Lee but I have to ...

She took a step aside past him as he closed his hand around her arm.

- Sol, we have to talk.

- I have to find Lace.

- It can wait. We need to talk now.

He led her into the room and silently closed the door.

- Lee. I don’t have time for this right now.

- So when will we have time to talk then? You've been avoiding me for days.

- No, I have …

- Yes. Ever since I got well, you've avoided me and I want to know why.

- I needed time.

- Time for what?

- Lee …

- Time for what Sol?

Sol sighed and sat down in one of the padded chairs.

- To adjust. I needed time to adjust.

- Adjust?

- To a normal life. A life where I am not a seer.

- I'm sorry. I know how much that meant to you.

- Sorry! You’re sorry!

She stood up and started walking back and forth in the room.

- If it weren’t for you, I would still be a seer. All of this is your fault!

- My fault?

- Yes, your fault!

- How can it be my fault?

- Because I saved your life!

Leerian stared at her dumbfounded as she sank down on the soft padded cushion in the window frame. Silently she sighed and clasped her hands in her lap.

- I saved your life. The arrow that hit you were laced with whiteroot.

- Whiteroot?

- Teron could not do any cure and I ... I thought we would lose you. I cried when I watched by your side. My tears fell on your skin. When dawn came …

- The poison couldn’t have been whiteroot. Then I would have died several days ago.

- There was a cure.

- But you just said that Teron couldn’t do anything.

- It wasn't Teron who gave it to you. It was me.

- Sol. You have to explain this to me.

- It was my tears that saved you Lee. The tears from a seer in love.

- In love?

The meaning of her words slowly slid into his consciousness and a silly smile spread across his face. A smile that froze to ice and disappeared when he heard her next words.

- Sometimes I almost wish that it had not happened.

- That what had not happened Sol. That you had not saved my life or that you had not fallen in love.

- I did not mean ... if you had died ...

Her voice trembled and she took a deep breath before she could continue.

- I do not think I would have ever survived the pain if we ... if I had lost you. But being a seer is the only life I have known. And now I've lost it.

He approached her and took her clasped hands in his. With a smile, he pulled her up from the window frame and put her hand tenderly against her cheek. He turned her gaze to him and in the green eyes he could see her confusion and the feelings that were so new to her.

- If your feelings for me have cost you your life, let me give you a new one. Marry me.

Shocked, she stared at him and tore her hands from his grasp.

- What! No! How can you even say such a thing?

- Was I wrong about your feelings? Is it not me you love?

- You're a Prince Lee! I'm nobody at all. I don’t even know who my parents were! You can 't marry me just because I saved your life!

- I do not.

- Your father …

- Agrees with me that I have made a good choice.

- But …

- Sol. Answer one thing. Do you love me?

- Yes, but you should marry a princess or …

- I would rather marry the one I love.

- Lee...

She studdered the words afraid of what he was telling her.

- What are you saying?

- The first time I saw you, you captured my heart. Then when I knew you, I fell more. That you were a seer was the only thing that stopped me from confessing my feelings.

He approached her and gently stroked a strand of hair from her cheek.

- You're not a seer anymore Sol, he smiled. I can finally say that. I love you.

Her eyes sparkled with restrained tears and he wiped away one that ran down her cheek.

- Do not cry my beloved. I can not stand to see you sad.

- I'm not sad, she said with a small laugh.

- Are you not?

- No.

- Are you marrying me?

- Yes, I’ll marry you.

He laughed happily and wrapped her in his arms.

He hurried into the musty room and knelt on the dusty floor.

- Well?

- I'm afraid I'll bring bad news, my lord. Prince Cadenor and the girl have reached the other side of the bay.

- What! And my pet?

- Dead. 

He stared down at the floor to avoid seeing the anger blazing in his master's eyes. 

- The girl, she killed it.

- My pet was killed by a girl!

More anger flowing in his veins, he evoked a ball of fire and threw it through the room. An old wooden chair was smashed and the man looked up from the flames, which quickly devoured the wood.

- Yes my lord, but I'm afraid it's more.

- So tell me then.

- Prince Leerian my lord. He's still alive.

He shook as the angry roar echoed through the walls of the room.

- It was the seer, my lord. She saved him.

- The seer?

- Yes, she has fallen in love and the prince intends to marry her.

The man's mouth began to smile and he soon laughed out loud. The laughter was as raw and cold as the man it came from and in his eyes glittered hatred.

- She's in love. It makes everything so much easier.

- My lord?

- The pathetic council does not allow such feelings in its seers. Anyone who breaks that rule loses the ability to predict the future. Getting rid of her future husband will be easy.

- And the other?

- I'm opening a portal for you. It leads to my army. Take them to the ruins of Teralana and wait there. Let Prince Cadenor and the girl find the talisman. Then you kill them and bring firinn cridhe to me.

After a short word, the air began to shimmer in front of the man.

- Go and remember what happens if you let me down.

- Yes, my lord. 

He took a leap through the shimmering air. The man walked back and forth in the smoke-smelling room.

- How could that girl defeat my beautiful beast. It is not possible. Together with the prince ... no the idea is absurd.

An image of two pairs of green glittering eyes came to his mind and he shook his head to get rid of the image. The picture appeared again and the four green eyes became eight. Two pairs were slightly slanted with narrow pupils. The truth dawned upon him and he screamed out in rage.

- No! No! No! It can not be true! They are supposed to be dead! How could that happen?

Full of rage, he urged fireball after fireball and threw them around the room. When he had calmed down a little, he sat down in a chair that was still smoking.

- The cats. It must be the cats. I should have killed those two girls while they were still in their cradles. Well it's not too late. The revenge will still be mine.