Page 35 of Echoes of the Raven
“Nana,” I say, “what exactly made you so sure Mother’s necklace was important?”
She sets down her tea and thinks for a moment. “I honestly don’t know. I suppose I always had many questions about your mother.”
I lean in closer, eager to hear what she has to say. An aura of mystery surrounded Mother at all times, and I used to think it was because her fae heritage had to be kept secret from everyone, but now I know the aura extends far beyond that.
“She came to Nido with your father,” she continues, “after one of his habitual journeys to Leonesa, on the very eve of the veil’s collapse.”
I was aware of this, of course, but the knowledge never carried the significance it carries now. The fae blame humans for the collapse of the veil, which I always thought was wrong.
“The only reason we are here, the only person who can be blamed for all of this, is your so-called Queen of Castella. She is the reason the veil collapsed.”
Mother was fae, so the blame may be misplaced unless Father was involved somehow.
But is it possible Rífíor’s telling the truth? Is it possible Mother took the amulet from him and somehow used it to cut off access between the realms? And if so, why?
There has to be a reasonable explanation, something that led Mother to such a decision.
Regardless, it all starts with Rífíor. He stole the amulet in the first place. It doesn’t belong to him either, and I bet he bears the full responsibility for what happened between him and Mother and is only trying to shift the blame.
Jago frowns, pondering. “What are you saying, Nana?”
“Well, it’s not a tremendous leap of logic to think that if Queen Loreleia was in possession of The Eldrystone, and her arrival to Castella coincided with the collapse of the veil that she had something to do with it, is it?” Nana says, voicing the very words I’m trying to deny.
Jago exchanges a glance with me, looking shocked. He blinks and glances back at Nana. “But why close the veil?”
“That is anyone’s guess.” Nana dabs her lips with a lace-trimmed napkin.
“What do you think would happen,” I begin quietly, tentatively, “if the veil were to reopen?”
Both Nana and Jago contemplate my question, brows furrowed, but neither one of them offers an answer.
“Would it be good or bad?” I press.
“That is a difficult thing to predict,” Nana says, her voice tired.
“I think it would be bad,” Jago says at last. “The fae who are trapped here hate us. If they go back, they might come back with an army toretaliate for twenty years of less-than-stellar treatment. Imagine an army of agile fae who in addition are loaded with espiritu invading Castella.”
“The fae were always peaceful,” Nana says, “but I wonder how their realm is faring without the conduit Niamhara created to help curb theirmagicalprowess.”
I frown at Nana, surprised by her comment. It seems she has put a lot of thought into this. She gave emphasis tomagicalbecause we have never called those innate abilitiesmagic. When fae first came to Castella two thousand years ago, our ancestors viewed that type of power as a manifestation of the inner spirit, a unique energy that must come from the saints. In a way, they were right. Espiritu comes from a higher entity: Niamhara. They say she created fae in her image, which therefore granted them her abilities to control the elements. Who knows? Maybe magic does come from our spirit.
“Marco and I have talked about this at length,” she adds as she notices my confusion.
That explains it. Maestro Elizondo loves nothing more than to expound and analyze every topic from every angle.
“But don’t those people trapped on either side deserve a chance to return to ?” I argue.
Nana nods slowly. “Certainly, but what if in the process, it brings suffering to a greater number of people? What if it brings war as Jago suggests.”
Jago shakes his head. “I’d say we leave that wasps’ nest alone. I like things the way they are.”
I can see the logic in their words, but I can’t help but feel it is wrong to condemn so many to a life of exile.
Nana reaches across the table and puts her hand over mine. “Don’t fret, mi niña, I’m sure Amira will devise a way to make things betterfor everyone.”
As I nod, a small smile stretches my lips. Yes, Nana is right. Amira will figure something out.
15
