Elves: Beyond the Mists of Katura Read Online Free PDF

The
iad
looked up, her
smile brittle.
    ‘Auum.’ She rose to her feet and her smile broadened. ‘Nerille? We are honoured you have chosen to come and live with us. I am Tanyse. Welcome to Aryndeneth.’
    ‘Thank you, Tanyse,’ said Nerille. ‘Now I wonder if you could find me a place to lie down. I crave a proper bed and mattress after the hammocks Auum has made me sleep in all
the way here.’
    Tanyse laughed, and it was a sound that danced across the dome, lightening the atmosphere.
    ‘He really should have brought a bed with him,’ said Tanyse.
    ‘I wanted to but Ulysan refused to carry it,’ said Auum.
    ‘Only because the frame got caught in the lianas the whole time,’ said Ulysan.
    Tanyse held out her hand. ‘If you’ll do me the honour, I’ll show you to your rooms in the village. The bed there holds the prayers of every priest in Aryndeneth.’
    ‘Bless you, Tanyse,’ said Nerille taking her hand. ‘I think we are going to get along.’
    ‘Tanyse,’ said Auum. ‘Where is Onelle?’
    Tanyse nodded towards the back of the temple. ‘She’s in the chamber of light. What’s going on, Auum?’
    ‘I hope she might be able to tell me. Has she heard from Drech?’
    ‘I think so,’ said Tanyse. ‘She hasn’t spoken much since.’
    ‘Bless you,’ said Auum. ‘Nerille, you are in the best of hands. I’m sorry your arrival was not greeted with the ceremony you deserve.’
    ‘Gyal’s tears, I’m not,’ said Nerille. ‘Look in on me before you head off to save us all, will you?’
    ‘I would deem it a crime not to do so,’ said Auum. ‘Ulysan, check on the Al-Arynaar numbers and come back to me at evening prayer.’
    Auum trotted into the lantern-lit corridor beyond the statue of Yniss and up to the door of the chamber of light. It was a large chamber, set with windows in both outside walls and in the
ceiling. Mirrors further reflected the natural light that came in, bathing the small shrine and its mats and benches with a warm gentle glow.
    Onelle was sitting on a bench looking out into the rainforest. When the training of mages had been moved to Herendeneth she had elected to remain here, ostensibly to welcome and orient potential
adepts before their travel to the island. But the truth was she didn’t feel safe anywhere else. Some memories would never fade.
    ‘I’m not sure even the prayers of light can help, can they?’
    Onelle turned from the window. ‘We must never turn away from faith in however small a measure. That’s your teaching, isn’t it, Auum?’
    Auum inclined his head in acknowledgment.
    ‘You know why I’m here, don’t you?’ he asked.
    Onelle nodded and stood up. She looked well, if you saw past the worry on her face. Her hair was lustrous and she carried her frame proudly. Peace at Aryndeneth had been very kind to her.
    ‘I had contact yesterday at dawn,’ she said. ‘Takaar has brought a human to Ysundeneth. He is warning of another invasion. It’s stirred up quite a panic in the
city.’
    ‘I bet it has,’ said Auum. ‘Takaar’s understanding of the word discretion is sadly lacking. Who requested the ClawBound to call the muster?’
    Onelle swallowed. ‘Takaar did.’
    Of all the names Auum had expected to hear, his was not among them.
    ‘What?’
    ‘Drech says that Takaar is foretelling an end to the elves.’
    Auum sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. ‘I don’t believe this. Why did the ClawBound listen to him?’
    ‘I’ve no idea,’ said Onelle.
    ‘Who is this human anyway? Garan come back from the grave to haunt us? Did Drech say?’
    ‘Drech didn’t know much except his name.’ Onelle searched her mind briefly for the detail. ‘It was . . . curse my leaky brain . . .
Stein
, that was it.
Stein.’
    Auum felt cold and his fury towards Takaar evaporated while a pain grew in the centre of his chest. ‘Are you sure?’
    ‘Certain,’ said Onelle. ‘Why?’
    ‘I have to get to Ysundeneth.’
    ‘What is it?’ asked Onelle.