Page 116 of Echoes of the Raven
He makes a weighing motion with his hands. “Give or take, I suppose.”
Great!All I need is both of them colluding against me.
Galen scoots closer to Valeria, looking right and left as he lowers his voice. “So… that was The Eldrystone you handed over to that miserable dunghill. I had no idea that’s what we were after.”
I cock my head to the side to better see and listen.
“What are you saying?” Valeria asks. “That you wouldn’t have taken my sister’s gold if you’d known?”
Galen shrugs. “Depends.”
“On what?”
“On… why you were running away.”
Valeria remains quiet, likely weighing in every nuisance of our situation, wondering whether or not revealing our purpose is a good idea. I wager it is. Galen would be as eager as any fae to see the veil restored. He may be exiled, but that is quite different from being physically barred.
“We were on our way to reopen the veil,” Valeria answers at last.
It seems she came to the same conclusion as me. Mayhap she hopes revealing the truth will procure Galen’s sympathy and, perhaps, his help. Or am I reading too much into her straightforward answer? I fear it is the latter. She changed her mind about going through with our plan, after all, and only seemed to care about keeping The Eldrystone to herself.
Except… she gave it up for Jago, a part of me reminds me. Though a crushing realization follows...She would not give it up for you, Korben.
“Were you really?” Galen leans closer to me now.
“We were,” I reply, without looking at them.
“And why didshehave it? What could she possibly have done to make you part with it?” He pauses, thinking for a moment. “W-wait, wait, wait a minute, you’re in love with her.”
“Quit being an idiot,” I snap. I do not miss the way Valeria’s face turns away at my words, but I cannot focus on that right now. “You have noidea what brought us here. So either help us get the amulet back or leave us alone.”
“Well, well.” Galen stands, dusting his hands. “It seems I have lots to think about tonight. Sleep tight.” He leaves.
Our guard returns to his post. He never took his eyes off us, waiting at an out-of-earshot distance.
Galen strolls as if he does not have a care in the world. He feigns disinterest, but I know better. He is not so cavalier as he would have everyone believe. The question is: will he take The Eldrystone for himself as he once tried to do? Or will he bring it back to me? I suspect I will know the answer before the night is over.
The irony does not escape me. I once banished him from Tirnanog for coveting the very thing I would gladly let him have now, for I would rather see the conduit in his hands—a fae who would use it to restore access to our realm—than in Don Justo’s, a human who would use it for ends I cannot begin to fathom.
I glance at Valeria, a mixture of emotions crowding my chest. I do not relish the sensation. For years, I have felt nothing but emptiness, and now I feel too much, too keenly.
When I took her earlier tonight—ecstasy fogging my thoughts, her body supple and willing in the circle of my arms—I dared believe forgiveness was possible, dared hope her mother’s curse could be broken. I thought Niamhara had decided it was time to end my suffering.
It took mere minutes to disallow me of that half-witted notion. One more truth revealed—the least harmful of all—and Valeria’s scant trust shattered.
Even if she had learned my true name from my own lips, it is thestill-unanswered question that really matters. And once she learns the answer—the reason why Loreleia stole The Eldrystone—trust will never be a possibility again.
I did something horrible, something I should regret but I do not. Perhaps, seeing my lack of remorse, Niamhara has led us to failure. Perhaps, this is just another penance. A meticulously crafted torment designed to raise my hopes before dashing them to dust once more.
The Goddess mocks me, her cruel hand moving me about like a piece in a game.
Father passed The Eldrystone to me over a century ago before he crossed to the Glimmer, the day I turned one hundred years old. The amulet fell heavily upon my chest, a responsibility I did not want, but could not escape. Despite the years of instruction on the duties of the conduit keeper, I felt unprepared.
My own magic was strong. Like my ancestors before me, I was a raven shifter, capable of all the forms: corvus, dreadwing, scatter, and chimera. Not only that, but I could also control the darker powers, something few in our line have ever been capable of. I felt no need for more. I was content as a prince and dreaded the weight of the crown upon my head as much as The Eldrystone.
It took me a few years to come to terms with it all. To my surprise, I found that my work as king was deeply rewarding. My days were filled with the orchestration of many projects that made Tirnanog a better place. Seeing my people prosper filled me with pride. There was peace under my rule as I swiftly stamped out any sign of rebellion with the help of the amulet I once dreaded.
The Goddess created us in her image, giving us control over the forces of nature. But not all fae aim to use their powers for good. Some seek to do evil, and as the keeper of The Eldrystone, it was my duty to maintain a balance.
