The Girl With Red Hair (The Last War Saga Book 1) (29 page)

Opis caught his breath and waved a thick paw at them. “Oh, it’s no bother,” he said, his voice rich and warm. It reminded Sachihiro of his uncle. “Now, what can I do for you fine travelers?”

“Lilacoris said you could… help us?” Alexander asked.

Opis cocked his head to the side.

Sachihiro stepped forward and interjected. “We’re just waiting for her to contact the All-Mother so we can talk with her. Maybe we can get some—”

“The All-Mother?” Opis asked, thick brow furrowed.

“Yes,” Jaydan said. “We have an important matter to discuss with her.”

“That’s all fine and good, young sir,” Opis said. “But why are you
waiting
for Lilacoris to contact her?”

“Uh, because she told us to,” Sachihiro said, now just as confused as Opis looked.

Opis shook his head and wrinkled his nose. “The High Watcher needs no more than a brief moment to communicate with the All-Mother. They are quite close. Their thoughts are nearly the same.”

Sachihiro glanced at Jaydan. His friend’s face told him that he had put something together and didn’t like the conclusion. “Jaydan?” he whispered.

“Dammit,” Jaydan said in reply. “This isn’t good.”

Alexander looked between the two of them and then back at Opis. “Please excuse us a moment.”

Opis shrugged.

When they had retreated a distance from Opis, they formed a tight circle, Adelaide in the middle. Sachihiro didn’t like being in the dark. He elbowed Jaydan. “What’s the problem?”

“Lilacoris lied to us,” Alexander said.

Jaydan nodded and swore. Alexander elbowed him and nodded at Adelaide, but she had gone to the ground and was fussing with her boots again, humming to herself. Jaydan grunted.

“What do you mean, she lied?” Sachihiro asked.

“Lilacoris can talk with the All-Mother whenever she wants. Magic or something, I don’t know,” Alexander said. “But the point is, there is no reason to have to wait. Why would she say we had to wait and then leave us if she could just
think
and reach the All-Mother?”

“Gah, I knew we shouldn’t have trusted her,” Jaydan said.

“Really?” Sachihiro replied, still unsure of the issue. “She and Tannyl seemed really close. Maybe the All-Mother just wasn’t answering.”

“
Tannyl
,”
Alexander said it like it was a curse and not a name. “They’re in this together.”

Sachihiro didn’t believe that for a moment, but he had a hard time supporting the elf after what he’d done. And Lilacoris had left them suddenly, taking Erlen with her. It didn’t make any sense.

“Tannyl is the one that suggested we talk with the All-Mother,” Alexander continued. “And it’s clear now he never had Adelaide’s best interests in mind. I wouldn’t be surprised if he never wanted to help find answers as to Woodhaerst, either.”

Realization began to grow in Sachihiro’s mind. It made him feel dizzy. “Why would Tannyl bring us here just to leave us?” he asked, the nausea growing. He didn’t like the idea of Tannyl betraying them. He didn’t know the elf well, but he had been a member of Woodhaerst since Sachihiro could remember. He kept to himself, sure, but no one had a bad word about him. Fae’Na seemed to trust him. It was her that sent him with Jaydan and Sachihiro to collect herbs in the first place.

“I don’t know,” Alexander said. “But we have to operate with the idea that he did. Which means we can’t trust anything he’s done or said.”

“So then what?” Jaydan asked, speaking for Sachihiro as well.

Alexander rubbed his eyes. There were dark circles under both. “We need to get out of here,” he said. “Leave the Fae Wyld and find our own way to Wolverhampton.”

“Well, how do we do that?” Jaydan asked. “Tannyl was the only one who seemed to know anything about this place.”

“And Erlen,” Sachihiro offered.

“And he’s gone too,” Alexander said. “That can’t be a coincidence.”

Sachihiro whistled and looked at the sky. “Lilacoris, Tannyl,
and
Erlen…” he said, putting the pieces together in his mind.

“They wanted us trapped here,” Alexander said, finishing his thought.

“Shit.”

Sachihiro didn’t want to believe it, but the evidence was mounting. “What about Opis?” he asked, glancing at the giant catlike creature.

“Lilacoris directed us to him.”

Jaydan swore again.

“Well, we need to find a way out,” Sachihiro said. “He seemed genuinely surprised that Lilacoris would tell us to wait.”

“And you trust that?” Alexander asked.

He shrugged. “I’m a pretty good judge of character.”

“And how did you judge Tannyl?”

“I…”

“Exactly,” Alexander said sharply.

“Well, we need information,” Jaydan said. He turned to Sachihiro. “You remember when Marius stole my notes and wouldn’t tell me where he hid them?”

Sachihiro nodded and felt a smile creep across his face. “Yeah.”

Jaydan nodded toward Opis. “With your uncle’s lute it should be easy to do the same to Opis. But don’t make him undress or anything.”

“What are you two talking about?”

Sachihiro brought his lute out and winked at Alexander. “Watch and learn.”

He broke away from them and strode up to Opis. “I’ve just the song for you,” he said, fingers already playing over the chords.

Opis cocked his head to the side, eyes blinking quickly. He opened his mouth, but no words came forth. Sachihiro grinned. He had hardly begun the charm and already it had begun to take root. No wonder his uncle had kept the rune-covered lute a secret.

Alexander watched in awe as Sachihiro danced around Opis, a delicate melody springing forth from his lute. The runes along its body were glowing, and Alexander thought he could see wisps of magic circling around the Vartaw in time with the musician’s dance. It was beautiful and entrancing, even from afar.

“Why don’t you do the honors?” Jaydan asked, nodding at the slowly swaying Vartaw. Opis’s eyes were crossed, and a smile was pasted on his furry face.

“What are you doing to the kitty?”

Alexander crouched in front of Adelaide. “Addy, we need to find a way to get out of here so we can help you get to Wolverhampton. Opis knows how to do that, but he might not… remember. Sachihiro is just helping him with a nice song. Isn’t it pretty?”

Adelaide thought for moment, face scrunched. “He’s not hurting him, is he?”

“Of course not.”

“All right,” she said. “But be careful. I like the Opis kitty. He’s nice. And
fuzzy.
”

Alexander sighed and looked at Jaydan. He shrugged.

“Anytime now,” Sachihiro called out. “Hard to say how long I can hold him.”

Alexander approached the stunned Vartaw. He didn’t know what Sachihiro was doing, but he didn’t have time to argue. He only hoped he hadn’t lied to Adelaide.

“Opis,” he said.

Opis turned. His eyes focused on Alexander and he spread his arms. “Ah, friend, there you are.”

“How do we leave the Fae Wyld?”

“Why would you want to leave?” he asked, still swaying slightly, but seeming otherwise at ease. Sachihiro stopped moving but continued to play, determination plain on his face. He was sweating.

“Opis, tell me how to leave the Fae Wyld and return to Alfuria.”

“Oh,” Opis said. “Alfuria. There is only one Bridge to Alfuria from the Forest Realm.”

“Tell me where it is and how to use it,” Alexander said firmly.

Opis shook his head. “It is closed.”

“Then open it.”

“I cannot.”

Alexander felt his hands begin to shake. “Tell me who can open the Bridge.”

“Lilacoris.”

Alexander heard Jaydan curse. “Who else?”

“Hilaros.”

Jaydan cursed again. Alexander knew the answer, but he asked anyway. “Who else?”

“No one.”

Sachihiro faltered and missed a note. He quickly recovered, but Alexander could see the magic was waning.

“Sach isn’t going to hold much longer,” Jaydan warned. “Even with the runes, the magic is draining him fast.”

Alexander stepped nose to nose with Opis. “Where is Lilacoris?”

“I don’t know,” he said.

The music stopped suddenly and Alexander heard Sachihiro fall. He glanced briefly at him. He was kneeling on the ground, hands held out before him. Blood ran from his fingers. Jaydan rushed to his side.

Opis shook his head and took a step back. “Oh, travelers,” he said. “I didn’t see you there. My apologies. I must have been seeing again.”

Alexander eyed him, looking for a tell, but it seemed the creature had no recollection of the charm Sachihiro had cast on him.

“What do you mean,
seeing
?” Alexander asked, tightening his grip on his glaive. He couldn’t imagine anyone enjoying what Sachihiro had done to him.

“Oh,” Opis said, seeming surprised again. “I’m a Seer. Lilacoris likes to call me the
Grand
Seer, but the title’s a bit redundant. I’m the only Seer, after all. So that makes me the Lesser Seer as well, I suppose.”

Sachihiro and Jaydan walked over to Alexander. The musician had strips of cloth wrapped around both hands, but seemed otherwise unharmed.

“Meaning what?” Jaydan asked.

Opis nodded to the dimly glowing green stone. “I can
see
things that others cannot.”

“Like?” Alexander asked.

Opis smiled. “Well, last night I saw a group of Outsyders that thought it necessary to charm an old Vartaw. Distrustful bunch.”

They all looked at each other. Alexander knew his eyes were just as wide as Sachihiro’s and Jaydan’s. Jaydan elbowed Sachihiro.

“Nice going, Sach,” he whispered.

“You saw us?” Adelaide asked suddenly from Alexander’s side. He had momentarily forgotten she was there. He shifted his weight, ready to defend her if needed.

Opis smiled at the girl. “Oh yes, my dear. I see many things. I also see that you have reasons not to trust,” he said, looking at Alexander. “But I assure you, I will do nothing to harm the girl.”

Adelaide giggled. “Why would you hurt me?” She turned and looked up at Alexander. “Alexander,” she said, as if he were the child. “Opis kitty wouldn’t hurt me. I can
see
it too.”

Opis cocked his head, but didn’t say anything.

Adelaide pulled at Alexander’s shirt and whispered, “Don’t worry, we can trust him.”

Alexander looked at the girl and then at Opis. Dark beady eyes stared back. Suddenly, he saw what Adelaide did. He frowned and rubbed his eyes, but it wasn’t them that saw it. Some deeper sense that he could not name told him that the creature standing before him now was… pure. He shook his head and rubbed his temples.

“Are you all right, young human?” Opis asked, leaning forward.

It took a moment to get his vision to focus again. “Yes, I’m fine. Just tired, I think. We’ve had a long journey.”

Opis nodded. “If you’ll allow it, let us retire for the evening. You will be fed and cared for. In the morning, we can see about getting you back to Alfuria.”

Opis didn’t wait for a response and trundled across a long bridge to a nearby platform. Adelaide tugged at Alexander and raced after the large creature. Part of Alexander remained wary, but he couldn’t deny how he had felt in that moment, staring
into
Opis. He ran after.

Jaydan watched Alexander and Adelaide follow after Opis. They crossed the bridge and soon vanished down a set of twisting stairs. He looked at Sachihiro. The burly musician looked more embarrassed than injured, but Jaydan’s eyes still fell on the man’s bandaged hands.

“Don’t worry,” he said. “I’ll knit your mitts back together when we get a chance.”

Sachihiro nodded, eyes still fixed on where the others had disappeared from view. “That was odd, wasn’t it?”

“That he knew you charmed him? Maybe you’re not near as strong as you thought, even with the lute. Besides, it’s not like you’ve had a lot of practice on Fae. They’re an odd bunch.”

Sachihiro shook his head. “No, not that. The way Alexander suddenly trusts that giant cat thing. Addy too. Something isn’t right with the two of them. Think maybe Tannyl was right?”

Jaydan couldn’t argue. He had been seeing a thin tendril of magic between the two since Alexander survived that fall in Paladrix. He didn’t know what it meant, but the two were linked, not just as a function of Alexander’s assumed duty to protect her, but through some other means. He wasn’t even sure it
was
a magical link, but he didn’t know what else to call it.

“Tannyl never liked that Alexander appeared at the same time Addy did,” Sachihiro said. “And you can’t deny they look alike. It’s creepy, even.”

“I know,” Jaydan said. “But Tannyl wasn’t as he seemed.”