Last of Her Kind

Chapter 12 ALORA

“Let me go grab it,” Cathryn headed out the back room before dipping her head in one more time. “Just stay back here, okay?”

Alora nodded and Cathryn disappeared again. She could hear the shop bells jingle as Cathryn exited the front door. Alora looked around the back room. There was quite a collection of herbs, tinctures, and tools that lined the shelves and cabinets. Empty vials scattered here and there. A few barrels in the corner.

The front door bells jingled again. Alora paid it no mind until she heard a deep, familiar voice call out, “Cathryn? Are you back here?”

Alora’s head jerked to where Elysor say lay up on the table, as she heard footsteps approaching.

“Cathryn?”

The front bell jingled again.

“Oh, General, what a pleasant surprise. What brings you by my shop today?”

“Do I need reason to visit my future bride?” Alora’s stomach jerked at the word.

“Of course not. However, I feel that is not the case today?”

The general laughed and Alora recognized him as the man from the woods.

“Nothing get past you my dear. You are correct about my reasons for coming by. I spoke with Eli earlier. He said you need more time on my next barrel?”

“Just one more day. That’s all. It needs to set before I add the last ingredient, and then it’s all yours.”

“Splendid. I can pick it up at daylight then?”

“Of course, sir. But I thought you were escorting my house guests out of the city today.”

“Not personally, no. I have a few men coming by later to escort them. No, I will be leading a larger group into the Abandoned City tomorrow. I’ve decided to set up a more permanent camp there. We believe those dragons are hiding out amongst the mountains.”

Alora’s heart stopped. They needed to get back to the others as soon as possible. The group needed to move completely out of the city. Her and Elysor needed to leave before the escorts arrived.

She peered past the curtain that separated the front and back rooms.

The general had his back to her. He reached up and grasped Cathryn by the arms, squeezing in a way that made her wince. She was clutching the book to her chest as tight as she could.

“I will see you at daybreak.”

He leaned down and kissed Cathryn on the head. Alora felt her stomach tighten again. A small puff of smoke appeared as she growled softly. The general c****d his head as if he had hear her. Alora moved away from the door quickly, breathing heavily.

The bells jingled out front and Cathryn appeared in the door way to the back room with the book still clutched to her chest.

“I’m sorry about that. Um, I have a rather, persistent, customer.”

Alora did not look up as she pretended to inspect Elysor’s wound. “That’s a pretty friendly customer.”

“Yes, well, the general is a bit more than a customer – unfortunately.” That last part was meant more for herself, but Alora could still hear it.

“Unfortunately?”

Cathryn put the book down on the table and turned to go back out to the front. “I have to get back to work.”

Alora stared at the curtain that separated the room until it stopped moving. Then she turned to open the book that Cathryn had left.

The book was old and bound with worn, soft leather. The pages were almost transparent, and the writing was fading. Some of the earlier chapters were written in a language she had never heard seen, but the images on those pages were done with immense detail: beautiful portraits of goblins and dwarves, close up anatomical images of pixies and faeries, old maps of the land before humans settled.

Alora tenderly flipped through page after page of ancient languages, examining the pictures and maps. She stopped. It was a painting of an underground waterfall and river. An oasis of light and magic that was surrounded by walls of rock and gem, and on the banks of the pool: moon flowers.

The painting was so surreal and lifelike, Alora became lost in the image. She almost didn’t hear as Elysor began to stir.

“Elysor!” Alora jumped to the door. “Cathryn, come here. Elysor is waking up.”

Cathryn rushed past Alora to the table where Elysor was starting to open his eyes.

“Shhh,” she soothed as she placed a hand on his head to check his temperature, “Take it easy. You’re body is still resting.”

Cathryn then helped Elysor move slowly to a sitting position.”Where am I?”

“You’re in the back of Cathryn’s shop, Elysor.” Alora had crossed the room to be at his side. “Remember? She made a paste for your arm.”

Elysor looked down at the wrapping on his shoulder. Then he looked back up at Alora. Something was wrong, she could see it in his eyes.

“Who are you?”

Alora looked up at Cathryn.

“What is happening? Why doesn’t he remember me?”

Cathryn was already starting to pull books off the shelves as she spoke. “I’m not sure. It could just be a temporary thing. I wouldn’t worry about it just yet.”

That answer wasn’t good enough for Alora, who was beginning to grow impatient. Her brother. Her mate. Her tribe. They were all sitting and waiting for her to return, all while an army of slayers was about to march right into their home. “How can I not worry. Elysor has no idea who I am or where we are, and we need to leave the city as soon as we can. I need him to be aware.”

“He’ll be fine. You guys are going to be accompanied by a few of the general’s men - “

“We can’t leave with those men.” Alora was trying to make Cathryn understand the predicament she was in, but Cathryn was only half paying attention as she was talking.

“Well I don’t see why not. I’ve grown up with most of those men. They know the forest and the roads will enough. They’ll escort you and Elysor back to your town, no problem.”

Alora stepped in front of Cathryn and grabbed her by the arms in an act of desperation. “We don’t live in a mountain town. We aren’t going back to a shop or a village. The last of our kind has been hiding away in the Abandoned City.”

“Well that’s where the General is taking his hunting party – oh!” Cathryn’s eye lit up as she realized what Alora was telling her. “You can’t leave with the men that are coming here to get you.” She looked over at Elysor who was still trying to figure out where he was. “We have to get you out of the city right now.”

“What about Elysor? What about his memory?”

Cathryn was trying to shove books and vials into a bag. “We’ll figure that out on the road.”

“We? You aren’t coming with us. Are you insane?”

Cathryn stopped and looked directly at Alora. “That man,” she pointed at Elysor, “is my patient. You asked me to take care of him, and I will not be separated from him until he has made a full recovery. I am coming with you, like it or not.”

“Don’t you have someone picking something up tomorrow?”

 “Crap. The general is coming at daylight. We’ll have to think of a better plan.” Cathryn continued to pack mindlessly as she thought. Alora reached out and took the bag from her.