Page 25 of Wind and Water
Cocking her head, Wren stares at it. “Huh.”
“Does it speak to you?” My mother can send messages through ravens, and she can see through their eyes, but she’s never met Wren, so it’s unlikely a human woman would be able to receive the words.
“Not so much in words, but I think her name is Adhar.” Raising her hand, she gently pets the raven’s head. “You’re very beautiful and unexpected.”
Adhar preens and fluffs the feathers on the back of her head.
“It means air in the old language. If our new friend has no other message, let’s see if anyone’s home.” I point to the largest house to the east. It belongs to Serena and Jax. She is the chieftain of this village. I take my sword in hand and head that way. “Where is everyone? Something isn’t right. Stay behind me.”
She points to the little woods south of the village. “What happened there?”
Several trees are blackened, and at least two look as if they’ve exploded. Whatever happened, it wasn’t good. To kill ancient trees like those is a terrible act. “Those trees are many hundreds of years old. They have life and magic.” I hear panic rising in the tone of my voice.
At the door, I pound as if I’m the invading force.
No answer.
I bang harder.
“Liam, look.” She points to the other houses, the meeting area in the center, and the grassy area where children might be at play. “Everything is in perfect order. Maybe whatever destroyed the trees was the catalyst, but these people didn’t run, and they weren’t attacked here.” She reaches around me and pulls the latch on the door, which swings open.
We step inside the tidy home. The living area is clean with several blankets neatly folded on a bench near an empty stand likely meant for some kind of instrument. The staircase is dark. The last time I was here, children sat on the steps listening to news from the capital. I remember their handsome faces peering through the wooden rails.
Despite several young sons living here, there are no toys anywhere. In the kitchen, not one plate sits on the counter or in the basin.
“These people cleaned, they packed what they needed, and then they left town.” She stares down at the kitchen table where a shallow bowl sits. Dipping her fingers in, she disturbs the water. “Why would she leave a bowl of standing water when everything else is pristine?”
Rushing over, I pull Wren back a step. “I think it’s a scrying bowl. Probably not dangerous, but stay behind me, just in case. I might be able to contact my mother through it.”
With my hand over the water, I search for magic and find the binding spell meant to keep foes from using the bowl. “It’s locked.”
Wren shakes her head. “That makes no sense. Why leave a device for communication and lock it?”
I wish I knew the answer. “It can be used to leave a message, but we’d have to know how to unlock it.”
She touches the side, and the bowl rocks slightly. With a push, she spins it. “Explain yourself.” Her voice is full of frustration, which I share.
“Whoever you are, you must live in the light if you’ve unlocked this bowl.” Serena’s soft voice echoes from the water. As it stops spinning and the water settles, her features become clear. Fair skin, blue eyes, and long blond hair all perfectly at ease. “We have left Clandunna and gone to Tús Nua. It’s not safe here after the witch queen took the first of the prophesied. We will go and help with the coming war while our children are secure in the walled city. If you are in the light, you are welcome here. Use what you need and may the old gods be with you.”
The image shimmies and disappears.
Pulling out a chair, I sit. I have a dozen questions for Serena, but the bowl gives no answers.
“Did she mean the witch queen took one of the human women? Could she have been talking about my mother?” Wren spins the bowl again as if it will bring the message back.
“This kind of message is only given once. Then the bowl becomes inert. I may be able to contact my mother in a sacred pool, or maybe if I revitalized the bowl.” The problem is that it takes more magic than I’m willing to expend when I need my strength to go into a forest full of centaurs. “I think she was talking about one of the women my brothers were sent to find. Birdie’s prints didn’t come in this direction, and there were no elven prints at the battlefield.”
“Maybe the centaurs destroyed those trees?”
“Centaurs are keepers of forests. They would consider it a blasphemy to violate an ancient tree like that.” My heart is heavy. A human woman was taken and no mention of my brother. Which one had it been? Is either Aaran or Raith dead, or worse? I have to focus. “We’ll accept Serena’s hospitalityand rest here. Tomorrow we’ll confront the centaurs and find Birdie.”
“You said they’re vicious. You and I are going to get Momma back by attacking vicious horse men?” She pushes her hair from her face and wipes an errant tear from her cheek.
I must protect her. I’m going to have to get creative. “We can’t fight them. We’ll have to negotiate somehow.”
Pushing aside the worry over things I can’t control, I rise and take Wren’s hand. “You have to rest. Do you want to go upstairs and sleep in a bed? It may be our last chance to do so for some time.”
“You go up. I’m sure you’re sick of sleeping on couches. I won’t be able to sleep. I’ll just stay here.” She kisses my cheek.
